Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has picked his preferred playing XI for the fourth T20I against the West Indies. He backed all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy to retain his place in the team after India’s 14-run win in the third match in Indore.
Reddy scored 21 runs off 14 balls in the previous game and returned with figures of 1-19 in two overs he bowled. The all-rounder was added to the team’s playing XI in place of Shivam Dube.
“I wouldn’t want many changes in the top order. So Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma would open there, Ishan Kishan would be at No. 3, Shreyas Iyer at No. 4, and Tilak Varma at No. 5,” Pujara said on JioHotstar show Game Plan.
“Nitish Kumar Reddy, I think he did a good job. So, I would want to see him get one more chance. So he would be at No. 6, and Naman Dhir has been doing really well. So he would be at No. 7,” he added.
Pujara reckons Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel should retain their places in the team. The former Test veteran reckons the team should decide the fourth specialist bowler between Kuldeep Yadav and Prince Yadav based on pitch conditions.
“Axar Patel at No. 8. Among the fast bowlers, Arshdeep Singh at No. 9. Mayank Yadav is bowling well. So he should also be played. The question for the Indian team in Hyderabad would be how the pitch is,” he said.
“Based on that, either you will go with Prince Yadav or Kuldeep Yadav. That’s the only change I see. They will have to pick between the two. If there is more help for the spinners, you might want to bring back someone like Kuldeep. If the wicket is like Indore, if there is slight help for the fast bowlers, you will continue with the same playing XI,” Pujara observed.
The fourth T20I between India and the West Indies will be played on Wednesday.
