Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has questioned India’s decision to shuffle their batting order in the third T20I against England, which led to a 26-run defeat at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
India struggled in their chase of 172 after allowing England to post 171 in the first innings. The top order featured Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma, but after early wickets, the team opted for a tactical reshuffle that raised eyebrows.
Hardik Pandya was sent in at No. 5 to stabilize the innings, but the major controversy arose when India promoted left-handed all-rounder Washington Sundar ahead of Dhruv Jurel. The move was seemingly made to counter England’s leg-spinner Adil Rashid.
However, by the time Jurel, a recognized batter, finally came in at No. 8, the required run rate had surged to 16 per over, leaving him with little room to influence the game.
Pietersen: ‘Best Batters Must Bat Up Front’
Pietersen, speaking on Star Sports, criticized India’s decision to prioritize a left-right combination over their best batters. He argued that Jurel, as an accomplished batter, should have been sent in earlier to build an innings rather than being held back for matchups.
“India didn’t get the batting order right. Dhruv Jurel is an accomplished batter. Having him lower down the order for the left and right combination was not right. I’m a firm believer in your best batters batting up front,” Pietersen stated.
Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel also criticized the tactical decision, emphasizing that while a left-right combination is useful in the top order, after No. 4, the best batters should be prioritized. Patel suggested that Jurel, given more time at the crease, could have played a pivotal role in India’s chase.
“Left and right combination is alright till No. 4, but after that, you should send your best batters. Jurel is a proper batsman. He could have constructed a big innings,” Patel opined.
Despite glimpses of promise, India’s batting order reshuffle failed to deliver results, as England’s disciplined bowling attack tightened their grip on the game. With Jurel coming in too late, the required run rate became unmanageable, sealing India’s fate.
The loss raises questions about India’s batting strategy and whether tactical matchups should take precedence over giving key batters enough time in the middle. With the series heating up, India may need to reconsider their approach to avoid similar setbacks in crucial matches.
