Poll: Who would be the best choice in the Indian middle-order?

It is always a nice headache to have for the selectors if there is more than one guy, knocking at the doors for a single spot in the line-up. It is the scenario currently in the Indian batting line-up, as there are quite a few contenders who are looking to force their way into the have a spot in the Indian middle-order.

Team India won the first Test and were held for a draw in the second, but the most notable batting performances have come from the top order and the team would want the others to kick in. KL Rahul was brought in as a replacement for the injured Murali Vijay and scored a one-fifty. And with that has made a strong case for his selection in the 3rd Test.

Cheteshwar Pujara:

Cheteshwar Pujara had a quiet series so far, as he has scores of 16 and 46 from the two Test matches so far. Though there is no clarification on Vijay’s availability for the next Test as of now; the debate is very much on whether the management would opt to replace No.3 Pujara for the coming game.

Pujara has looked good, but his conversion rate seems to have deserted him. The other worrying aspect has been his slow strike rate. His 16 in the first Test came at 23.88 while his 46 came off 159 balls at a strike rate of 28.93. Other top order batsmen have scored at a strike rate of nearly 50 or above. Rahul’s sublime form has made a lot of people question Pujara’s position.

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After having done all the hard work of playing out the first few tricky hours, Pujara was looking in good form till he decided to press the panic button just 4 runs short of his half-century and ran himself out in the second Test match. He also had a soft dismissal in the first Test, where he tried to dispatch a short delivery from Devendra Bishoo but unfortunately, the leading edge lobbed to the point fielder.

Considering all the factors and what he brings to the table. Pujara seems to have done just enough to retain his place in the playing XI for the third Test.

KL Rahul:

KL Rahul made his way into the side for the second Test match of the series. Rahul grabbed the opportunity with both hands and compiled a flawless innings to bring up his third ton in Test cricket. Runs awaited anyone willing to show a little application on the Sabina Park pitch and he did exactly that and went on to score 158 runs in the innings.

It has been a huge debate on whether a good IPL season will make one ready for international cricket, however, it has certainly done wonders to Lokesh Rahul’s confidence. Rahul had outshone some of the world’s biggest hitters who played along with him in the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) setup in IPL last season and his attacking game was on point in Kingston. With a possibility of Vijay returning for the third Test match, it would be hard to ask Rahul to sit out on the bench.

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Rohit Sharma:

Indian limited overs opener, Rohit Sharma is surely a strong contender to make his way into the Indian batting line-up. Rohit’s flamboyant batting saw a paradigm shift in his career following a switch from middle order to the opening spot in the limited-overs format. Even though his Test career is still at a nascent stage, most cricket experts and fans have envisioned him as one of the bright aspects for the future of Indian cricket.

Rohit has a decent average of 33.18 in his 16-Test career so far. An average hovering around mid-thirties is not something we would like to associate with a classy batsman like Rohit. Given the fact that he has been in some form in limited overs cricket and that West Indies’ isn’t the best of attacks makes a case for him to be given the opportunity to settle down in the Test squad and once he is in his zone we all know what Rohit Sharma is capable of.

Who do you think should start for India in the next Test? Vote:

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