India vs England: Rishabh Pant could wait longer as India find a reliable left-handed prospect

India has a handful of tasks to complete before launching its campaign for the ICC Champions Trophy. Returning to ODIs after a considerably long hiatus, the management had a lengthy task cut out to finalize the squad for the India vs England series and the Champions Trophy. Between their last ICC ODI tournament and the upcoming Champions Trophy, India saw the emergence of worthy prospects in different departments. The bench strength further elevated after the successful recovery of the flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant. However, his return has forced the management to choose between him and KL Rahul, who impressed in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

India vs England: Axar Patel can delay the return of Rishabh Pant in the team

The first India vs England ODI marked the team’s return to the format after almost a year. The match in Nagpur followed the announcement of India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. However, the Playing XI in the clash didn't paint a clear picture of the team's plans for the tournament ahead. Moreover, a contentious admission by Shreyas Iyer following India's victory entangled the equation even further. Virat Kohli missed the fixture due to a minor knee injury, paving the way for Yashasvi Jaiswal to mark his ODI debut. Iyer later revealed that had Kohli been available for selection, he himself would have missed the match.

Another point of contention before the match was India's choice between the wicketkeeping options, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. KL Rahul has built an impressive stature in ODIs as a middle-order batter for India. A stable presence in the middle, Rahul, who currently averages 56.33, didn't give any reason to question his selection. However, Pant, offering an explosive hitting prospect in the middle, has an edge working in his favor. With Rohit, Gill, Kohli, and KL in the lineup, India presents a batting order with little variation. The left-handed Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, provides that variation, aided further down the order by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

For the first India vs England ODI, however, KL Rahul edged past Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeping position. Meanwhile, to maintain a left-right combination in the batting order, India played all-rounder Axar Patel ahead of KL Rahul in the lineup. Patel, meanwhile, batted impressively, stitching an impactful partnership with vice-captain Shubman Gill after the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal departed cheaply. While Gill patiently anchored the innings, Patel played eye-pleasing shots as he raced to a 46-ball half-century. The all-rounder's confident and impactful knock suggests that the combination has found a way to accommodate Rahul in the order while keeping the left-right balance intact.

With Rahul boasting impressive numbers in the 50-over format, it only seems fitting for him to be a part of India's Playing XI in the ICC Champions Trophy. The only factor in question was the team’s preference for a left-right combination in the middle order. That aspect now appears sorted with Axar Patel emerging with a fine knock that materialized into a 108-run partnership with Shubman Gill in the first India vs England ODI. Patel's batting in the match led former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar to predict a similar approach from India in the ICC event as well.

“Before the match started, there was a suggestion from me that maybe Rishabh Pant could be tried only with the Champions Trophy in mind. Plus, India would have a left-hander in the top six or seven. Axar Patel is a great option to have because this is a guy we have seen bat in Test matches for India, and he has a batter's temperament,” Manjrekar said.

"Axar Patel is a terrific option to have in the middle, thereby perhaps delaying Rishabh Pant's chances of coming back in. Now, they have found a left-hander that they can bat in the middle," Manjrekar concluded.