'If Hardik plays as sixth bowler, Pant may be out' - Sunil Gavaskar breaks down batting order ahead of Pakistan tie

Sunil Gavaskar breaks down Indian batting order (Image Source: Twitter)

The Indian team led by Rohit Sharma won the warm-up game against Australia on October 17, Tuesday, while their second warm-up against New Zealand on Thursday was called off due to rain. Due to many star batters in the side it's unsure what the batting unit would be like.

Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian cricketer, opened up on the same and said that Rishabh Pant should bat at Number 6 and Dinesh Karthik at Number 7. Commenting on the Indian batting order at ‘Cricket Live’ on Star Sports, Gavaskar said that the Indian team should follow his batting order if Hardik Pandya plays as the fifth bowler.

“It’s just that maybe, if they decide to go with six bowlers, with Hardik Pandya being the sixth bowler, then he (Pant) may not be able to find a place, but if they decide to go with Hardik Pandya as a fifth bowler, then Rishabh Pant has an opportunity to bat at number six and Karthik maybe at number seven, followed by the four bowlers. So, that could well happen, we just have to wait and see,” Gavaskar said on the show.

They would certainly want a left-hander in the middle: Gavaskar

The former Indian cricketer, further, added that if the Indian team management decide to give Pant a go-ahead, then the team has to decide how many overs the southpaw will play, in advance to avoid confusion.

"They would certainly want a left-hander in the middle, but looking at the top four, who are in such good form, you sometimes say to yourself, ‘How many overs Rishabh Pant is going to get in? Is he going to get three or four overs? And for three or four overs, is Karthik or Rishabh better?’ So, these are all the situations they will look at and they’ll take a call on this,” said the former Indian cricketer further.

Commenting on Shaheen Afridi, Gavaskar said that the pacer will find his rhythm at the right time.

“I think that’s what their main concern was, about his fitness and how he will shape up. And certainly, in the two overs that he bowled, he’s shown that he’s back to full fitness. So, clearly, that is one headache gone,” Gavaskar added.