World Cup 2023: Virender Sehwag predicts India's middle-order formation, leaves out these two star batters

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World Cup 2023: Virender Sehwag has predicted India's middle-order formation in the World Cup 2023 and left out Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav from it. The former opener has opined that Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya are most likely to form the India middle-order at the marquee event.

Sehwag reckoned that Shreyas Iyer's scintillating hundred in the Indore ODI against Australia has made him the favourite to play at number four. He added that if India goes into the match with five bowlers and keep Hardik Pandya as the sixth bowling option then there would be no place for Kishan and Suryakumar.

Further, Virender Sehwag said that a window for one extra batter would open if KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya bat at number six and seven respectively. The 44-year-old added that Ishan Kishan will be picked ahead of Suryakumar Yadav if a choice between the two has to be made.

“At No. 6 and 7 KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya will be there. So Suryakumar won't be there at either of those positions. There is No. 5 though. But if Hardik Pandya is your sixth bowler then Rahul will bat at No. 5, and Hardik at No. 6, then comes the bowlers. We thought Ishan Kishan could fit in somewhere in the line-up, but that hundred which Shreyas Iyer scored, if he plays at No. 4 then it will be Iyer, Rahul and Hardik at No. 4, 5 and 6 respectively,” Sehwag said during an interaction on Cricbuzz.

“Now it depends on how India look at this combination, whether they feel Hardik will certainly bowl 10 overs because that will give India an extra bowler. So then Suryakumar cannot fit in there and even if there is a slot, then Ishan should be picked ahead because he is a left-hander,” he added.

India are scheduled to kick off their World Cup 2023 campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8. The side will face Netherlands in their last warm-up match against the main event on October 3, Tuesday.