India Selectors Face Six-Way Battle for Two Middle-Order Spots Ahead of England Tour

India's national selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is preparing to announce the squads for the Test tour of England, with particular focus on filling two reserve middle-order batting spots. The final squad size is expected to be 15 or 16 due to the simultaneous India A matches, allowing flexibility in player selection. Established players like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli are considered automatic picks, while at least six contenders—including B Sai Sudharsan, Shreyas Iyer, Karun Nair, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, and Sarfaraz Khan—are under consideration for the remaining middle-order roles. Sai Sudharsan stands out for his adaptability as both an opener and a middle-order batsman, as well as his recent strong performances in domestic cricket and the IPL. The selectors are balancing experience, recent form, and versatility as they weigh their options. Most candidates who are not selected for the senior squad are expected to feature in the concurrent India A series against the England Lions.