India have evolved from a top-order heavy line-up, as seen during the build-up to the 2017 Champions Trophy or the 2019 World Cup, to having more forces in the middle order. If the recently-concluded England ODI series have produced any positive for India, it has been their middle order, led by a consistent Shreyas Iyer.
However, there seems to be uncertainty over the middle-order slots, with head coach Gautam Gambhir having confirmed that he will continue to favour a left-right combination in the line-up, implying no fixed positions in the line-up.
With Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma finding their groove in patches, India out-performed England with the bat on the back of their performance from the middle-order. They (No. 4-7) collectively scored 375 runs (among four players) in three innings at a strike rate of 116.42, with three fifties. England (6 players in those positions), on the other hand, scored 278 runs at 23.16, with two fifties.
Iyer was the leading run-getter in the middle-order. Despite India having considered dropping him in the opening game to experiment on a left-right top-order line-up, he scored two fifties in his tally of 181 runs at 60.33. However, a report in the Times of India revealed that there was a “heated” selection meeting over Iyer’s retention.
The report further revealed that the Gambhir-led Indian team management went against chief selector Ajit Agarkar by backing KL Rahul. The former India fast bowler, during his Champions Trophy presser last month, had confirmed Pant as the first-choice wicketkeeper for the ICC tournament and the England ODIs. But both Rohit and Gambhir sought continuity as Rahul featured in all three games against England.
“Selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar, while announcing the Champions Trophy squad, had claimed Pant was the first-choice wicketkeeper. As it turned out, Pant is the only player in the squad who didn’t get a game in the three ODIs in the England series. Sources indicated that there had been heated debate in the selection meeting around retaining Shreyas Iyer in the team and over the second wicketkeeper’s slot,” read the TOI report.
