IND vs WI 2025-26: Team India’s search for a reliable No.6 batter continues as selectors weigh contenders and batting combinations in absence of Sarfaraz Khan.
BCCI selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, on Thursday, announced Team India’s squad for the upcoming home Test series against West Indies, scheduled to start from October 2. There are a few surprises in the squad, one being dropping Karun Nair from the squad after a string of low scores in the Test series against England. There is also no place for opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, while Narayan Jagadeesan retains his place as the reserve keeper.
Squad: Shubman Gill (c), Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), N. Jagadeesan (wk), Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
First thought: Number 6 could be spot of bother
If we closely examine the squad, India have gone in with five specialist batters and two wicketkeepers. They have plenty of spin bowling options, who are also handy all-rounders, along with the returning Nitish Reddy.
Openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, skipper Shubman Gill, and keeper Dhruv Jurel will make up the batting order, with Sai Sudharsan likely coming at No.3. So this leaves a question: on whom is India looking at as a batting option at No.6?
Now, before talking about the possible No.6 options for India, we will see the numbers of different India batters at this position since 2024.
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Most runs at No.6 for India in Tests since 2024
| Batter | Innings | Runs | Average | HS | 50s/100s |
| R Jadeja | 10 | 420 | 52.50 | 107* | 1/3 |
| Sarfaraz K | 6 | 156 | 31.20 | 68* | 0/2 |
| KL Rahul | 6 | 126 | 25.20 | 68 | 0/1 |
| Rishabh Pant | 3 | 96 | 32.33 | 60 | 0/1 |
India have used as many as 11 batters in that role in this time period. While this may be a small sample size, one thing is clear that the Gill-led side have not zeroed in on a permanent No.6. This could be due to both the form of the players as well as circumstantial factors.
For instance, Rohit Sharma, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, and Rishabh Pant, who have all played at No.6, don’t feature in this squad. Among them, Sarfaraz and Pant weren’t considered due to an injury. Also, the unavailability of Shreyas Iyer in Tests for the foreseeable future has cut down on options.
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Probable contenders for No. 6
Devdutt Padikkal
In the press conference, chief selector Ajit Agarkar stated that Devdutt Padikkal was selected ahead of Karun Nair. While this could be the end of the road for Nair, it could also mean Padikkal, who has played two Tests till now, is a prime candidate to feature as the No.6 batter.
Narayan Jagadeesan
The other player who could get an eye in the middle-order is Tamil Nadu keeper-batter Narayan Jagadeesan. He has scored 313 runs in his last three first-class innings and has been a prolific run-getter in red-ball cricket over the year. So there could be a surprise debut in the offing for Jagadeesan, and he could feature as a pure batter at No.6.
Nitish Kumar Reddy
The young all-rounder is currently on a comeback trail and is playing his first competitive game (India A vs Australia A) after sustaining an injury in the series against England. He has been included in the Test squad against West Indies, and for the first time, he will get to feature in a Test match at home. If he does, Nitish Reddy will be an ideal choice for No. 6.
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Any of the spin bowling all-rounders
At home conditions, India are blessed with spinners who can contribute with the bat. Even in this squad, India have three such players who have been prolific with the bat and dominant with the ball, especially in home conditions – Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.
It is given that India will start all three players in the Ahmedabad Test, and if they do decide to play a fourth spinner, then either Jadeja or Sundar could don the No.6 batting role.
Read More: Top candidates to assume the No. 6 spot for India in Tests
