“Rohit Sharma at No.4”: Deep Dasgupta suggests new openers for India in second Test vs England
In the lead-up to the second Test between India and England scheduled for February 2 in Visakhapatnam, former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta has expressed his preferences for the Indian playing XI. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Dasgupta emphasized his desire to see Rohit Sharma take on the role of the No. 4 batsman for India.
“I want Rohit Sharma to bat at No. 4. He can steady and anchor the innings in the middle. We’re unsure if Virat Kohli will be available for the remaining three Tests. The Visakhapatnam pitch is anticipated to offer more spin than Hyderabad. It’s a bit of an unconventional decision, and my preference is to go in with four spinners, with both Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav included. I’ll go with just one seamer,” he said.
Shubman Gill found a place in Dasgupta’s proposed opening pair, partnering with Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Rajat Patidar was slated to bat at No. 3.
“Let’s swiftly go over the playing XI. If I have Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as openers, Rajat Patidar takes the No. 3 spot, as that’s his usual position. Rohit plays at No. 4, and Shreyas Iyer plays at No. 5,” he added.
The absence of KL Rahul due to a right quadriceps injury prompted Dasgupta to consider replacements. If the team management opts for five specialist batters and wants both Gill and Shreyas Iyer in the playing XI, the choice is between Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan. Commenting on the middle order, Dasgupta suggested the inclusion of a left-hander, Washington Sundar, at No. 6, acknowledging the importance of having a southpaw in the lineup.
“You can include a left-hander like Washington at No. 6 because having a left-hander is crucial, as we witnessed in the last match. Therefore, Washington at No. 6,” he added.
Dasgupta also left out Mohammed Siraj from his playing XI. “Ravi Ashwin at No. 7, Kona Bharat at No. 8, Axar Patel at No. 9, Kuldeep at No. 10, and Jasprit Bumrah at No. 11. Therefore, Bumrah will be the sole seamer,” he added.
After losing the first Test by 28 runs at Hyderabad, Team India would be eager to make a comeback in the second Test match and level the series.
Deep Dasgupta’s XI for the second Test: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rajat Patidar, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ravi Ashwin, Kona Bharat, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
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