Mohammad Kaif has weighed in on India’s batting plans ahead of the T20I series against England, and his view is clear: Virat Kohli still sits at the heart of India’s ODI batting order. India will play five T20Is and three ODIs against England in the United Kingdom next month, and the discussion has already shifted to how the middle order could shape up once the full-strength squad is back together.
The debate gained pace after Ishan Kishan impressed in the ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan. With Virat Kohli sidelined by a hamstring injury, Kishan got a chance and made the most of it with his batting form. That has naturally sparked talk about whether Kohli’s spot could come under pressure on the England tour. Kaif, though, believes that is not really a debate at all.
According to the former India batter, Kohli remains undroppable as long as he is available. Kaif said that in ODIs, no one can realistically push Kohli out of the No. 3 position. He added that if Kishan continues to feature, he will have to bat lower in the order rather than replace Kohli.
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“You cannot shake Virat Kohli. He has drawn a very big line. I am talking about ODIs, at number three, it is not possible at this point for someone to cross that line and take his place. When a big tournament or a World Cup comes, the batting order will be the same. If Ishan plays also, he will not come at three, he will have to play lower,” Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif went on to suggest a likely ODI batting structure for India’s long-term planning. In his view, Kohli should bat at No. 3, with either Ishan Kishan or Shreyas Iyer at No. 4. He sees a battle between Axar Patel and Washington Sundar for the No. 5 slot, while KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya could slot in at Nos. 6 and 7, respectively.
He also backed KL Rahul as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs, pointing out that the experienced right-hander has been highly effective in that role over the past few years. Kaif felt that while Kishan is getting opportunities now, Rahul’s place remains secure because of his consistency, fitness and finishing ability.
“What KL Rahul has done at six, his place is fixed and he will only keep wickets. Right now it is a phase of experiments with Ishan coming in and that is fine,” Mohammad Kaif said.
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Kaif also believes Kishan still has a big future in ODI cricket. He described the wicketkeeper-batter as captaincy material, highlighting his sharp cricketing brain and leadership during his stint as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain when Pat Cummins was unavailable in the IPL.
“Ishan Kishan can be a captaincy material as well. He is batting well. He has a sharp brain. When Cummins was not there in the IPL, he captained brilliantly and won games for his team. He backed his bowlers very well. His time will come too,” Mohammad Kaif added.
