Nagpur: Looking at India's exciting 2023 World Cup journey, it's clear they have a specialist for every batting slot. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are a dynamic duo at the top, standing out in ODI cricket. In just 25 matches, they've racked up 1732 runs with an impressive average of 72.16, making them one of India's top five opening pairs. Virat Kohli, batting at No. 3, is a legendary player. Shreyas Iyer, with an average over 50 at No. 4, was one of the three Indians to score over 500 runs in the last World Cup. KL Rahul provides solid support in the middle order, while Hardik Pandya is the team's go-to power hitter, usually coming in at No. 6.

India might stick with their tried-and-true batting lineup, but that doesn't guarantee success. A lot has changed since the World Cup, and from a tactical standpoint, the absence of a left-handed batsman in the top 6 could be a weakness that opposing teams will try to exploit.

While this strategy worked for most of their 2023 campaign—considering Ishan Kishan only played in two matches—there's always a chance they might want to mix things up. In the upcoming series against England, having an all-right-handed batting order could make it easier for Adil Rashid to settle into his rhythm or for the fast bowlers to maintain their line and length.

India is set to take on Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, and they’ll have to contend with some skilled bowlers. Pakistan has leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, New Zealand brings in Mitch Santner with his left-arm spin, and Bangladesh features leg-spinner Rishad Hossain. To shake things up, India could consider using one of their three left-handed spin all-rounders—Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, or Washington Sundar—as a floater. However, none of them have a ton of experience batting in the top six.

When it comes to genuine left-handed batsmen, India has Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant. Jaiswal hasn’t made his ODI debut yet, but he’s shown enough grit in various conditions to be a solid partner for either Rohit Sharma or Shubman Gill, though that seems a bit unlikely right now.

As for the wicketkeepers, Pant could be a more aggressive option in the middle order compared to KL Rahul, who has sometimes struggled to finish strong after getting a good start—like in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Statistically, Pant’s average of 33.50 doesn’t stack up against Rahul’s 49.15, but Pant has delivered some incredible match-winning performances in Test cricket. Still, he hasn’t quite figured out the rhythm of ODI batting during the middle overs.

Taking a chance on the potential that comes with Pant’s unique style is still on the table. By choosing the Delhi left-hander over Sanju Samson, who has stronger ODI stats, it seems the selectors might be leaning that way too.

For now, it looks like they believe that being left-handed isn’t always an advantage. The effectiveness of matchups in the fast-paced world of T20 doesn’t translate as much to the 50-over format. Rohit hinted that KL Rahul is currently leading the race for the wicket-keeper spot.

“KL has been our wicket-keeper in ODIs for several years and has performed well. If you check his last 10-15 ODIs, he’s done exactly what the team needed,” Rohit Sharma mentioned. “Rishabh is also in the mix. We can choose either of them, and both have the ability to win matches on their own. It’s a nice dilemma to have, deciding between KL and Rishabh. But considering our past, maintaining continuity is crucial for us. That’s where we are as a team with KL and Rishabh.”

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