India tour of England: Who should bat at no. 3 for Team India? Harbhajan Singh makes surprising pick

Time of India

a day ago

NEW DELHI: Former India spinner
has backed young left-hander Sai Sudharsan to bat at No. 3 in India's upcoming five-Test series in England, calling it a crucial opportunity for the youngster.
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"In my opinion, Sai Sudharsan should play at No.3. He's a left-hander, in top form, and just came off a very impressive IPL. His technique is sound, and I believe he could be the solution at that position," Harbhajan said, as quoted by IANS.
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The Indian squad for the England tour indicates a substantial change. Following the retirement of veterans like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin from the format, an altered 18-member team will compete under 25-year-old
's leadership, with
serving as his deputy.
Selection head Ajit Agarkar explained that Jasprit Bumrah was not considered for captaincy due to workload management concerns.
"Gill is a new captain, and the team is quite young — there's no Rohit, Virat, Pujara, or even Ajinkya Rahane. It's going to be challenging, but I expect our youngsters to rise to the occasion and perform well," Harbhajan said.
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He requested supporters and analysts to remain understanding during the team's development: "Just because they don't win right away doesn't mean we start criticising them.
The team needs support right now. They're going through a transitional phase — a new team, a new era — and I hope it turns out to be a successful one for Indian cricket."
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"The team needs to believe in themselves — believe that they can win. This team has the ability," Harbhajan added. "These are the same youngsters — Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant — who broke Australia's fortress at the Gabba. Now it's their turn to make history again.
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The opportunity is massive, and they should grab it with both hands."
The squad selection features first-time Test call-ups for B. Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh, whilst Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur return. The exclusion of Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami has generated discussion, with both fans and former captain Sourav Ganguly expressing concerns about Iyer's omission.
"Shreyas Iyer is a very fine player. He's proven himself in ODIs, performed in the World Cup, Champions Trophy, and IPL. So yes, he should've been in the squad. But maybe the selectors don't see him as a red-ball player right now," Harbhajan said. "If I were part of the selection committee, I would have considered him. But this is not the end — his journey is long, and he might even be a future ODI captain. One missed tour doesn't mean his career is over.
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The five-Test series begins June 20 at Headingley and marks India's entry into the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.