Predicting India's middle order for 2019 World Cup
With the Indian Premier League done and dusted now, fans' focus shifts towards the Indian national team. With a one-off Test match against Afghanistan and a tour to England coming up next, the Indian players don't have much time to rest and shed off their T20 skin.
Every international match played between now until the commencement of the World Cup in 2019 will be very important for the players, especially for those who have not cemented their place in the team yet.
Similarly, for the Indian team, there are a couple of places up for grabs and thus we try and predict India's middle order, which can accommodate upto two batsmen, for the 2019 World Cup here.
Number Three - Virat Kohli
The Indian skipper has to be the first name on the team sheet and would definitely be walking in at number three for the Men in Blue if fit. Kohli has been in the form of his life recently for India and though this IPL wasn't the best for him, the right-hander still managed to amass 530 runs at an average of nearly 50.
In his last ODI series, which was against South Africa, Kohli broke several records and went on to slam as many as three centuries in the six-match series. The Indian captain eventually finished with 558 runs in the series at a staggering average of 186. In the process, he smashed Rohit Sharma's record of most runs in a bilateral series as well.
Kohli's next ODI assignment would be in England against whom Team India play in a three-match 50-over series. The Delhi-born cricketer is unfit as of now and will undergo a fitness test on 15th June. As a result of the injury, he had to give up on his County stint with Surrey as well.
If things go as planned, however, Kohli would be the first of five India's middle order batsmen.