Sanjay Manjrekar gives his opinion on India’s middle order conundrum for Tests

Sanjay Manjrekar gives his opinion on India’s middle-order conundrum for the Tests. The former Indian batter was of the opinion that things would be interesting when Rishabh Pant returns to full fitness. The former Indian batter compared the roles to the likes of Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul in the team, particularly when Pant returned to the side after his injury.

Manjrekar assumed that Rishabh Pant would resume his role as a WK batter in the side. While there are concerns over his fitness to keep wickets, Manjrekar believed that Pant would walk into the side given his performances in the past. The former Indian cricketer said that things would be very interesting between Iyer and Rahul in the next 2 years.

Sanjay felt that there might be a direct competition between Iyer and Rahul for a spot in the middle order in Tests given the fact that Pant would be the WK batter in the side. “In the next two years, I see him in direct competition with Shreyas Iyer for a spot in the middle order. Once Rishabh Pant is back in action, he automatically takes on the role of the wicketkeeper-batsman,” said Manjrekar.

KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer fail to establish their spot in Tests

In the recently concluded Test series against SA, India ended with a result of 1-1, which was good considering the lack of success on the Asian sides in the land of SA in Tests in the past. However, things could have been different had the batters applied themselves a bit more in the first Test. Rahul and Shreyas Iyer could not establish themselves in the side after the tour.

Given the competition in the side, one must produce great innings with the bat and do it consistently. Manjrekar talked about the same and felt that the two failed to make a mark to be regulars in the side. To be regular, one must provide stability away from home. Neither of the two has been able to stabilize the Indian Test batting.