Suryakumar Yadav Snubbed As Virender Sehwag Picks India's Middle-Order For ICC World Cup 2023

Former India batsman Virender Sehwag has predicted Team India’s middle-order combination for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023. Picking the middle-order won’t be an easy task for the team management as four batsmen are in contention for two spots – no.4 and 5.

India’s top three are fixed. Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are set to open the innings for the team in the competition. The in-form openers will be followed by former captain Virat Kohli at number three. There have been some suggestions in recent times to demote Kohli to no.4 for the team’s cause but it is highly unlikely.

Finalizing the players for the no.4 and 5 slots will be a tough task for the team management. Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul as well and Suryakumar Yadav are in contention for those two spots. Kishan has been performing well this year while Rahul and Iyer’s centuries after their return to action have made front-runners once again. Suryakumar has also put himself in contention after doing well against Australia.

Virender Sehwag predicts India’s middle-order:

While only time will tell how India line up in the ODI World Cup, Virender Sehwag has shared his views on the team’s middle-order. Speaking on Cricbuzz, the World Cup winner said that Iyer has become the favorite to bat at no.4 after his century against Australia last month.

The India great further said that Kishan and Suryakumar are unlikely to find a place in the playing eleven if India decides to pick five bowlers and keep Hardik Pandya as the sixth bowling option. Virender Sehwag has opined that a spot for an extra batter would be created only if if KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya bat at number six and seven respectively.

“At No. 6 and 7 KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya will be there. So Suryakumar won’t be there at either of those positions. There is No. 5 though. But if Hardik Pandya is your sixth bowler then Rahul will bat at No. 5, and Hardik at No. 6, then comes the bowlers.

“We thought Ishan Kishan could fit in somewhere in the line-up, but that hundred which Shreyas Iyer scored, if he plays at No. 4 then it will be Iyer, Rahul and Hardik at No. 4, 5 and 6 respectively,” Virender Sehwag said during an interaction on Cricbuzz.

“Now it depends on how India look at this combination, whether they feel Hardik will certainly bowl 10 overs because that will give India an extra bowler. So then Suryakumar cannot fit in there and even if there is a slot, then Ishan should be picked ahead because he is a left-hander,” he added.

Team India will start their World Cup campaign later this week when they take on Australia in Chennai on October 8. Before that, the Men in Blue are scheduled to lock horns against the Netherlands in their last warm-up match on October 3.