5 reasons why Hardik Pandya should bat at No. 6 in Tests
The emergence of a fast-bowling all-rounder in Hardik Pandya has been a great blessing to Indian cricket. So astounding and eye-catching were his performances in limited overs cricket that he was called up to the Test team for the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Pandya made a decent debut, scoring an attacking half-century down the order and picking up a crucial wicket with the ball. But the question everyone is asking is if No. 8 is too low a position for a batsman of Pandya's calibre.
Here are 5 reasons why we think Pandya should bat at no. 6 for India in Tests.
#1 Attacking batsman down the order
The likes of Virender Sehwag have shown us the importance of playing attacking cricket even in the longest format of the game. More specifically, Pandya should look to emulate Adam Gilchrist who was an attacking batsman down the order.
The importance of this role cannot be emphasized enough in Test cricket. The opposition might, after running through the middle order, harbour thoughts of bowling out the opposition cheaply. That is until the attacker down the order begins his onslaught.
Pandya can take on that role from the No. 6 position and get some quick runs to take the game away from the opposition.