Ishan Kishan has been brought in to replace Suryakumar Yadav in the Indian middle order for the first One Day International (ODI) against the Tom Latham-led team because KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been ruled out of the New Zealand series owing to personal issues. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes Virat Kohli should make a sacrifice in order to resolve the selection dilemma for India because the hosts are already planning to include Suryakumar and Kishan in the Indian playing XI.
The Indian team has added the young Rajat Patidar in lieu of the injured, but it is doubtful that he will play. In the absence of star batsmen Rahul and Iyer, Suryakumar and Kishan have established themselves as sure-starters for India. Before the first One-Day International against New Zealand, former Indian cricketer Manjrekar expressed his opinion, saying that the series’ No. 4 batting spot should go to the team’s in-form batsman, Kohli.
“It’s going to be still tricky. One guy is going to be really upset. I have got an idea to sort this mess out. Have Shubman Gill bat at No. 3, he seems like he can handle that position, and then Virat Kohli sacrifices his No. 3 for a No. 4. He has done that before to Ambati Rayudu once, many years back against Sri Lanka. So that could be a way to sort it out. Ishan Kishan after his double hundred, left and right-handed combination at the top is not such a bad idea,” Manjrekar told Star Sports.
When Rayudu batted in position three against Sri Lanka in 2014, he amassed a hundred runs. In ODIs, Kohli gave up his No. 3 place six times to Rayudu. However, with the ODI World Cup rapidly approaching, it seems a little difficult, especially given Kohli’s recent performance at his preferred position. Indian captain Rohit stated that opener Kishan will be positioned in the middle-order for the series opener in Hyderabad in remarks made prior to the first One-Day International between India and New Zealand on Tuesday. In the just-finished three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, opener Kishan was forced to warm the bench despite smashing a spectacular double century. In the opening ODI of the series, India under Rohit will take on New Zealand.
