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Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel believes India should make changes to their batting lineup before the must-win fourth T20I against England. He wants Sanju Samson back in the playing XI and also feels the team needs a better left-right batting combination at the top.
Unlike many who believe Tilak Varma should make way, Patel suggested that Samson should replace all-rounder Shivam Dube instead.
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India are currently 0-2 down in the five-match T20I series after suffering a crushing 125-run defeat in the third match at Nottingham. The visitors were bowled out for just 76. Samson had been left out after scoring single digits in the first two games, but head coach Gautam Gambhir recently made it clear that the batter is still very much in the team's plans.
Parthiv Patel's suggestion for Team India
Patel said Samson should return to the side, but not as an opener. Instead, he wants the middle order to feature Samson, Ishan Kishan and captain Shreyas Iyer, with the batting order changing according to the match situation. He also believes this would solve India's problem of having too many left-handers in the batting lineup.
“I feel that the middle order should be Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer, the order can be anyone, depending on the situation of the game, that is something I would like to see," Patil said on Star Sports. “When six of the seven batters are left-handers then it becomes quite difficult, the ground dimensions come into play and the bowlers get used to bowling in the same manner. So, I think that is something India definitely needs to take a look at."
Patel also supported vice-captain Tilak Varma as the team's No. 6 batter. He feels India should play five specialist bowlers instead of relying on too many all-rounders. According to him, Tilak can take over the finisher's role, replacing Shivam Dube in the lineup.
Parthiv Patel’s India 11 for the 4th T20I
Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prince Yadav.