As India prepare for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, one major question continues to dominate discussions around the team’s batting line-up who will take ownership of the crucial No.3 position. India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has acknowledged that the team management is yet to fully settle the spot, admitting that the constant chopping and changing has not been ideal for the side. 

Since Cheteshwar Pujara fell out of India’s Test plans, several batters have been tried at No.3, but none have managed to make the position their own. With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma no longer part of India’s Test setup, the responsibility of building a stable batting order has become even more important. 

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Speaking ahead of the Afghanistan Test, Ryan ten Doeschate admitted that India could have handled the situation better. “Yeah, look, there’s been a lot of changes in that spot, and that’s not ideal. I think you need to look at the incumbents for that role and maybe stick with someone. It’s a difficult position to bat and a very important position to bat,” Ryan said.

Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan in contention

The race for the No.3 spot appears to be between Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan, both of whom have impressed in recent months. Padikkal enters the contest after a productive domestic season, while Sai is coming off another strong IPL campaign with Gujarat Titans.

Ryan praised both batters and the form they bring into the Afghanistan Test. “Dev comes in with a ton of runs in domestic cricket across all the formats, and obviously Sai’s got a nice IPL with Gujarat, so they’re both in good form,” he said.

Management promises long-term backing

Despite uncertainty surrounding the position, the Indian team management has indicated that whoever gets the opportunity will receive a fair run rather than being judged on a single performance. “I think whoever plays, they’ll be given a bit of rope. We want to make a decision and then trust that person to grow into the role,” Ryan explained.

The assistant coach also pointed to India’s position in the World Test Championship standings and stressed the importance of finding a long-term solution quickly.

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“Where we find ourselves in the WTC table, it’s obvious we don’t have time to bed in now. It’s probably something we could have done better leading up to this, which is nailing down that No. 3 spot,” he added.

Big decision awaits India ahead of Afghanistan Test

As the Afghanistan Test beginning on June 6, all eyes will be on India’s team selection and whether the management opts for Padikkal’s domestic red-ball experience or Sai Sudharsan’s recent form.