India has a wicket-keeper's catch to solve before the ICC Champions Trophy

The 2-0 scoreline in the ongoing India vs England ODI series paints a positive picture of the team's standing in the format. The Men in Blue have a lot going in their favor as they play England at the cusp of the ICC Champions Trophy. After a commanding victory in the opening ODI, the team saw another boost as the skipper, Rohit Sharma, roared back to form with a century in the second fixture. However, boiling under the surface of these victories is a conundrum that could prove to be a significant hurdle in their ICC Champions Trophy campaign. Highlighting the same, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has urged the Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, to decide between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant as the primary wicketkeeper for the upcoming tournament.

Aakash Chopra points out a conundrum in the Indian batting lineup ahead of ICC Champions Trophy

The race between Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul to claim the wicketkeeping position in the Indian team was a crucial point of discussion ahead of the India vs England series. In the period when Rishabh Pant was recovering from his injuries, KL Rahul made the spot his own with impressive knocks in the middle during the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Rahul, in the middle order, averaged an enviable 56.33 in the 50-over format ahead of the England series. A much-needed anchor, Rahul justified his spot in the Indian playing XI. The only element playing against him this time was the right-handed heavy batting lineup in the team. For India to bank on a left-right combination in the matches, Rishabh Pant emerged as a favorable option.

However, India, in turn, tried to tackle both elements with a single move, a surprising one at that. To keep KL Rahul in the team while ensuring the left-right combination in the middle, the management demoted Rahul in the batting order for the series. All-rounder Axar Patel has batted ahead of KL Rahul in both the ODI fixtures against England. While Patel himself has performed impressively in both outings, Rahul at number 6 has staged disappointments.

Rahul, with his average, deserved a spot in the team. But with India trying to ride two boats at the same time, it doesn't seem like the move is an ideal one in the long run. While India celebrates their upward charge in the format, Aakash Chopra has asked them to divert their focus to the issue. With Rahul looking unsettled at the spot, Chopra noted that the batter has not levied any positive impact on the lineup.

“There is still one development that is taking place, but it is yet to be seen if the Indian team can find an answer to that. KL Rahul is batting at No. 6. But is he the best option at No. 6 or 7? That's a big question. Ahead of him, you send a leftie, and now Rahul hasn't scored runs in both these games and in the two matches he played in Sri Lanka. What do you do now?”

In the team put forward for the India vs England ODIs, the Men in Blue bat deep. However, Patel's placement at No. 5 has pushed down KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja further in the order. Chopra believes that Pandya batting as deep as the seventh spot can backfire for the team. Instead, he suggests that Gambhir should mull over selecting Rishabh Pant over KL Rahul to solve the conundrum before the ICC Champions Trophy kicks off.

"Amid all this, if he bats at No. 6, Hardik bats at No. 7, and Jadeja at 8. I can still consider Jadeja at No. 8, but Hardik at 7? That is not what you want. He is batting at least two positions too low. I don't feel it's a good strategy. Is it time for Rishabh Pant to play already? He could be a better option at No. 6 because you already need a leftie. India are still looking for the right combination, and time is running out,” he added.