‘He’s done everything possible to get his spot back in Test side': Bangar wants Karun Nair at 4, Easwaran as opener
Bangar named Karun Nair as his No.4. The right-hander, who last played for India nine years ago, has had a remarkable season in the domestic circuit.
There has rarely been a phase in Indian cricket when the makeup of the Test side's top-order before an important tour like England's is unclear. Probably the Australia tour of 1999-2000 under Sachin Tendulkar's captaincy comes close, but at least one knew who the leader of the side was. The retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin (in the middle of the Australia tour), captain Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli (in a span of five days) has thrown India's bench strength into the arena.
It can be said with certainty that Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul will form the core of the top four but who will bat where is the real mystery. Both Rahul and Gill started as openers but moved down after indifferent success. Gill himself asked for the No.3 slot after India moved on from Cheteshwar Pujara, while Rahul had to fight his way back into the Test side after losing his spot due to inconsistency at the top.
When the selectors meet to pick India's squad for the upcoming five-match tour to England, their biggest challenge will be to pick a captain for the Test side and identify the composition of the side's top order.
There are four candidates for captaincy - Jasprit Bumrah (the current vice captain), Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. Bumrah and Gill are the strongest contenders, with the latter holding the upper hand because of Bumrah's fitness issues.
Finalising the top four seems even tougher. Let's start with Jaiswal's - he is the only one who has his batting position confirmed - probable opening partner. Jaiswal had Rahul and Rohit as his opening partners in Australia. The selectors can once again ask Rahul to move back to the top. He, after all, has the experience and an impressive CV of batting in overseas conditions. But what if the management wants Rahul to take the No.4 slot vacated by Kohli?
Then, India would have two options for Jaiswal's partner: the young Sai Sudharsan and the prolific run-scorer Abhimanyu Easwaran.
Chopra picks Gill at 4, Bangar wants Karun Nair
Former India opener Aakash Chopra said he would go with Jaiswal and Rahul as openers. Sai Sudharsan at No.3 and Shubman Gill at four.
"My number four is Shubman Gill. Sai at three, Gill at four," he said on ESPNCricinfo.
Former India batting coach, Sanjay Bangar, had a different opinion. He picked Easwaran as the opener. "What happens to Abhimanyu Easwaran? He has scored a lot of runs. I believe he will make it to the Test squad," Bangar said.
Easwaran has been around the Indian setup for more than half a decade but hasn't managed to get that elusive Test cap. If he can manage to convince the selectors about his ability to score in overseas conditions in the two matches against England Lions, then he could be the one partnering Jaiswal in the first Test against England.
Bangar also named Karun Nair as his No.4. The experienced right-hander, who last played for India nine years ago, has had a remarkable season in the domestic circuit. Playing for Vidarbha, Karun scored 863 runs in the last season of Ranji Trophy and backed that up by returning as the highest run-scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (India's domestic one-dayers). Nair scored 779 runs at an unbelievable average of 389.
"I'm thinking of Karun Nair at No.4. If all the talk of giving domestic the priority and (using it as) benchmark, then he has done everything possible to get his Test spot back," Bangar added.
