We'll play around no 3 spot with Kishan, Rahul, Yashasvi: Morkel ahead of India's ODI series against Afghanistan
Dharamsala, June 12
Team India bowling coach Morne Morkel has said that the Men in Blue will "play around" the batting lineup's number three spot with Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal possibly getting a go in the role in the India vs Afghanistan three-match ODI series.
India will play the ODI series opener at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala on Saturday.
With senior batter Virat Kohli ruled out of the ODI series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury, India are left without their first-choice option at number three.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Morne Morkel said India will experiment with the number three batting position during the ODI series against Afghanistan, with players like Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal expected to be tried in the role. He added that the series provides a good opportunity to test combinations and explore different team structures.
"And in terms of that number three slot, I think that's something that in this series we'll play around with, even if it's Ishan (Kishan) or KL (Rahul) or Yashasvi (Jaiswal). It's a nice opportunity now. We've got a couple of one-day games coming up, and we'll give guys an opportunity in different slots just to give ourselves a better idea in terms of how we can go and structure teams and have different options," Morkel said.
Speaking of Kohli missing the ODI series, Morkel said that he will be a big loss for India because of his experience and ability to anchor the innings in the middle overs.
"Obviously a big miss, with Virat. He is one of the senior players in the team. The way he goes about his innings in that middle phase especially is something we'll miss. Unfortunately, we can't control injuries and all of that," he said.
India squad for the Afghanistan ODIs:
Shubman Gill (capt), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer (vice-capt), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey (ANI).
— ANI
Reader Comments
I think Ishan Kishan deserves a proper run at number 3. He has the technique and aggression to take on the new ball, and his wicketkeeping option adds balance. But please, no more chopping and changing after 2 matches 🙏 Team management needs to have patience!
As an Indian cricket fan living abroad, I think this series is perfect for experiments. KL Rahul's experience at number 3 could be crucial, but Yashasvi's left-hand option adds variety. Just wish we had Kohli for this series - his presence against Afghanistan's spinners would have been massive.
Morkel's approach is sensible, but I hope the 'experimentation' doesn't affect the team's rhythm. We've seen this before - too much tinkering leads to instability. Pick a player for number 3 and back him for at least 3 games. My vote goes to KL Rahul, he has the experience of batting in the top order in all formats.
Honestly, I'd prefer to see Shreyas Iyer at 3. He averages 49 in ODIs at that position and has the experience to anchor the innings. But if they want to try new players, then go with Yashasvi - he has the temperament and class. Just hope the bowling unit steps up too, because batting isn't our only concern 😅
Great to see India taking this series seriously despite Kohli's absence. The depth is phenomenal - three quality options for one spot! I'm particularly excited about Gurnoor Brar's inclusion in the squad. Left-arm pacer with raw pace, exactly what
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