India head into the Asia Cup with an unsettled middle-order.© AFP
Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali feels that the Babar Azam-led side has a better and a more settled middle-order than India, heading into the Asia Cup and the subsequent. Basit said that India could face issues in the middle-order, something which has been evident in their performances of late. India head into the Asia Cup with both Shryeas Iyer and KL Rahul still undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Rishabh Pant‘s absence has also created a huge void in India’s middle-order.
Also, India are yet to finalise their first-choice wicketkeeper, heading into the Asia Cup, starting August 30.
With Pakistan and India set to face off in the Asia Cup on September 2, Basit has his fingers crossed, as far as the Rohit-led side’s middle-order is concerned.
“We have Babar, Fakhar, Imam and Rizwan at the top, Iftikhar and Salman Ali in the middle and Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz can be a bit handy down the order. In comparison, we have a better middle-order than India. If Ishan Kishan plays at no. 5, fingers are crossed. No idea how will he perform there. India could also play Tilak Varma at no. 3 and bring Kohli at no. 4,” Basit Ali said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.
However, the 52-year-old suggested that other teams would find hard to beat India if their top three batters — Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli — come clutch during the mega events.
“India will face problem at no. 4, 5 and 6. They have three top class batters in Rohit, Virat and Gill at the top. India will depend on their top three. If they perform, it will be difficult to beat India at the World Cup and the Asia Cup,” he added.
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