Intro: Vivek Razdan wants Shreyas Iyer at four, with Sanju Samson opening for India against Afghanistan in Sunday’s series opener.
Patna
Former India cricketer and renowned commentator Vivek Razdan believes India captain Shreyas Iyer should retain his position at number four when India begin their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday.
The first T20I presents India with a selection puzzle at the top of the order, with four potential opening options in Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Iyer, who bats at number three for Punjab Kings in the IPL, could also be considered for a higher position.
However, Razdan feels the captain should not change his batting slot for the series opener. According to him, India already have sufficient choices for the top three and should focus on maintaining balance rather than selecting a batter solely because of his right-handed profile.
Razdan particularly highlighted the number of left-handers among India’s opening options. Abhishek, Kishan and Sooryavanshi are all left-handed, while Samson provides a right-handed alternative.
“I think Shreyas should not change his number at the moment. He should remain at number 4,” Razdan said, backing the captain to maintain his role rather than moving up the order.
His comments come as India prepare to settle their batting combination for the opening game. With several young and established options available, the management faces a decision over how best to structure the top order.
The presence of Sooryavanshi, just 15, adds another intriguing dimension to the selection debate, while Samson’s experience gives India a proven right-handed opening option.
For Razdan, however, Iyer’s role should remain unchanged, allowing India to use the captain at number four while resolving the competition among their multiple opening candidates.
