Team India Management To Move Virat Kohli Up To No. 3, Add Hanuma Vihari Or KL Rahul At No.4 In Tests: Reports

The Virat Kohli-led Indian team is likely to trigger a host of changes to their batting order ahead of the five-match Test series against England. The Indian outfit has nearly 40 days before the first Test starts at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham. The defeat at the ICC World Test Championship against New Zealand and the inconsistent returns could prompt India to make that call.

India suffered yet another loss at an ICC event as New Zealand produced a disciplined performance to become the inaugural World Test Champions, winning by eight wickets. Not only was India’s batting line-up inconsistent in the decider, but their bowling was too equally so as they could not be penetrative enough. The Kiwis made light work of the target of 139 they had to chase to win in the fourth innings.

According to Times of India reports, Indian captain Virat Kohli could move up to number three, while Hanuma Vihari or KL Rahul likely to occupy a spot in the middle-order. Hence, it could all mean that Cheteshwar Pujara has to make way. Pujara has been a solid Test batsman for a long time; however, the right-handed batsman has not scored a hundred since January 2019. The bowling line-up will likely see the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and Shardul Thakur getting chances.

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No Indian batsmen scored a fifty in the ICC World Test Championship final:

The ICC World Test Championship final in Southampton witnessed no Indian batsman making a 50 plus score. Ajinkya Rahane’s first innings 49 was the highest any Indian batter could manage. On the other hand, New Zealand had a couple of them as Devon Conway made 54 in the first innings, followed by Kane Williamson finishing with an unbeaten 52 in the second to take the Black Caps to victory.

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