Indian batter Robin Uthappa feels Team India will have to find clarity over their number five batter in the T20 World Cup. India has been consistently changing their batting order and the number five position hasn’t been finalized by the team management.
Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant have mostly batted at the number five position and it will be interesting to note the team’s batting combination in the series against Australia and South Africa.
Meanwhile, both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik have been included in the T20 World Cup squad. Karthik has been providing the finishing touches in the recent past while Rishabh Pant hasn’t been able to take the T20I format by storm.
On the other hand, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav are expected to be India’s top four batters whereas Ashwin, Chahal, and Axar Patel will be India’s spinners.
Uthappa said on ESPN Cricinfo: “[Yuzvendra] Chahal, Axar [Patel], and Ashwin are all intelligent, shrewd, and wicket-taking bowlers. Their intent will be to always look for wickets. The top four looks extremely formidable, the lower-middle order looks solid as well, they just have to find clarity over that No. 5 spot.”
Uthappa reckons the race for the number five slot will be between Rishabh Pant and Deepak Hooda.
He added: “That would be between Rishabh Pant and Deepak Hooda.”
Recently, Pant was given preference in the Asia Cup after Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out due to injury. India wanted a left-hander in their team and thus Pant was included.
On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh has impressed with his skills. Uthappa added that it is important for the team to have a left-handed seamer in the bowling attack.
Uthappa said: “I think it is important to have a left-arm fast bowler, and they have that in Arshdeep Singh and he will be very effective in the death overs. Bhuvi has shown what he can do and I think he will be effective in Australia as well.”
India will face Australia in the first T20I at Mohali on 20th September.
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