According to Patel, India can try Pant at the top of the order as he would be confident after his brilliant showing in the Test match that was also played in Birmingham. Speaking to Cricbuzz, the former keeper batter said, “DK has been the No. 1 finisher, Ishan Kishan has been the highest run-scorer for India in T20Is this year and Rishabh Pant is Rishabh Pant.
“Although he had a modest IPL, he will bring confidence from that hundred and a fifty from the Edgbaston Test. He can open in the place of Ishan Kishan and can get quite a few opportunities at the top,” he added.
According to Patel, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja should walk into the playing XI in place of Axar Patel, who has been struggling for form for a while now. Also, he stated that Jasprit Bumrah would come in as an automatic replacement for Arshdeep Singh, who made an impressive debut in the first game, claiming 2 for 18. Arshdeep is not part of the team for the remaining two T20Is.
Patel commented, “Axar Patel will be replaced by Ravindra Jadeja. Jasprit Bumrah will also come in for Arshdeep Singh. Shreyas Iyer I think might not make it to the playing XI. Both Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant might come back but it will be interesting to see who will be left out.”
Shreyas had a tough Test match in which he was dismissed to the short ball in both innings. Earlier, he struggled for consistency in the IPL as well, also falling to the short ball time and again.
The second T20I will be played on Saturday (July 9) at Edgbaston and the third at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Sunday (July 10).
–By A Cricket Correspondent