Middle-Order: Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK)
If India opt to rest Suryakumar Yadav then they might rope in Sanju Samson to bat at number three in the first ODI. The wicketkeeper-batter was in great touch against South Africa as he scored 118 runs in three matches at a strike rate of 114.56.
Shreyas Iyer failed to impress in the T20I series against New Zealand but ODI cricket is his strongest suit. He recently had an explosive run with the bat in the ODI series against the Proteas. While batting at number four, Shreyas Iyer amassed 191 runs in 3 matches, including a century and a half-century.
The team’s vice-captain, Rishabh Pant, is expected to bat at number five and also take care of the glove duty behind the stumps. The left-handed southpaw is a proven performer in ODI cricket and his aggressive approach brings a lot of value to the middle order.
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