IND vs NZ ODI Series: Wasim Jaffer sorts India’s number four and number eight batting position

Wasim Jaffer speaks about who will bat at number four in Shreyas Iyer's absence for New Zealand ODIs and who should bat at number eight for New Zealand ODIs.

The upcoming ODI series between India and New Zealand, set to begin on January 18th, has former Indian Test cricketer Wasim Jaffer weighing in on potential lineup changes for the Indian team.

Ishan Kishan

With Shreyas Iyer out of the series due to a back injury, Jaffer suggests that Suryakumar Yadav should take his spot at number four, with Ishan Kishan coming in at number five and taking on the role of a wicketkeeper in KL Rahul’s absence.

Jaffer also believes that the pace-bowling unit should remain unchanged, but suggests that Washington Sundar should be the second spinner in the lineup, given New Zealand’s large number of left-handed batters.

Washington Sundar

He also believes that Shardul Thakur should be included in the team as a batting option at number eight. However, this would have to come at the expense of Umran Malik.

Suryakumar Yadav

Despite Suryakumar’s impressive performances in T20I cricket, he has yet to establish himself in the ODI side due to a settled middle-order. He has played 17 ODIs so far and averages 29.84 with two half-centuries.

Shardul Thakur

On the other hand, Thakur, who last played for India in the ODI series against Bangladesh, has a strike rate of 107.56 in ODIs and has 44 scalps from 31 matches, indicating that he could be a game-changer in the format.

IPL 2024

Related articles

DC vs RCB, IPL 2025- Arun Jaitley Stadium Pitch Report Today Match

The 46th match of IPL 2025 will be played between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Earlier...

IPL 2025: What Did Sanjay Manjrekar Say About Kohli? Trending on Social Media

The excitement of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) is now at its peak. The playoff qualification scenarios for all teams are becoming clearer....

CSK vs SRH 2025- Probable Playing 11 Today Match

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) hasn't gone well for either Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) or Chennai Super Kings (CSK). After suffering...

IPL 2025, RCB vs RR- Bengaluru Pitch Report and Weather Forecast Today Match

The 42nd match of IPL 2025 will see Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in...

IPL 2025 Orange and Purple Cap List- SKY Reaches Number 3

Under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, Mumbai Indians registered their fourth consecutive win by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 7 wickets. The star performer with...

BCCI Central Contract 2025: 34 Players Including Shreyas Iyer Get Lucky, Awarded Central Contracts – What Happened to Ishan Kishan?

BCCI Central Contract 2025 Announced: Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan Return to the List of 34 Players The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)...

KKR vs GT, IPL 2025- Eden Gardens Pitch Report Today Match

The 39th match of IPL 2025 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will be played at Eden Gardens. KKR comes into...

Suryakumar Makes a Strong Entry in IPL 2025 Orange Cap Race; Who is Owning the Purple Cap?

There have been consistent changes in the Orange Cap race in IPL 2025. Even after the double header on Sunday (April 20), there was...