Shreyas Iyer Is My Choice For No. 4, Don't See Suryakumar Yadav Or Ishan Kishan Getting A Chance - VVS Laxman

Former India batsman, VVS Laxman opines that the three newly-called up players, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Rahul Tewatia are unlikely to get a chance in the upcoming 5-match T20I series against England which commences on March 12th. All games will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

VVS Laxman believes that the management will continue to bat Shreyas Iyer at number 4, especially after dropping Manish Pandey and Sanju Samson from the squad which went to Australia.

Also, the in-form Rishabh Pant makes a comeback to the T20I side after being benched for 5 T20Is in New Zealand and dropped altogether from the white-ball matches in Australia. Laxman reckons Pant will play the finisher’s role at number 5 with Hardik Pandya at number 6 making it nearly impossible for Suryakumar and Kishan to crack into the team, at least early in the series.

Whenever they get a chance I am sure all of them will perform: VVS Laxman

Not only that, but India will also have to choose between KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan to partner Rohit Sharma – the former is likely to get the nod considering his thunderous form in white-ball cricket over the past couple of years.

Rahul Tewatia as well will find it extremely difficult to find a place in the eleven: Washington Sundar, already a regular feature in the T20 side is now brimming with confidence after a brilliant start to his Test career; Yuzvendra Chahal will be the first-choice spinner; Axar Patel too is in the squad; Varun Chakravarthy, subject to passing the fitness test, is in line for his debut, meaning Tewatia could warm the bench for the entire series.

“I don’t see them getting a chance because you have a settled middle order. I would love to see continuity as far as the No.4 position is concerned and Shreyas Iyer would be my choice as far as batting at No.4,” VVS Laxman told Star Sports.

“I would love to see Rishabh Pant back in the mix, batting at No.5, and then you have got Hardik Pandya at No.6. So, I don’t see Suryakumar Yadav or Ishan Kishan or for that matter Tewatia getting a chance but whenever they get a chance I am sure all of them will perform and play to the best of their abilities,” the 46-year-old former batsman added.

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