'The main wicketkeeper will be a big point' - Sanjay Bangar ahead of third Australia ODI

India and Australia are gearing up for the third and final ODI at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on September 27. The hosts have already clinched the series, having won the first two ODIs.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Bangar, former India batting coach, reckoned that the main wicket-keeping role will remain a point of contention for the Men in Blue. Notably, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan are the two options in India’s 15-man ODI World Cup squad.

“I think who is the main wicketkeeper that will be a big point. If it is KL Rahul, then he will bat at No. 5, and Shreyas will take the No. 4 spot. Then, unfortunately, Ishan Kishan and Surya will miss out in the last game,” Bangar told Star Sports.

The former cricketer went on to say that if Ravichandran Ashwin plays instead of Washington Sundar in the third ODI, it’ll mean that Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid trust the veteran off-spinner more. Furthermore, Ashwin claimed a three-wicket haul in the second ODI as India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

“If India plan to field the same team in the last ODI that will play in Chennai, then I think Ashwin will play at No.8. If he is playing ahead of Sundar, who played in the Asia Cup, it means the coach and the captain trust him more,” the 50-year-old added.

India beat Australia by 99 runs via DLS in Indore

After being invited to bat first, India posted a mammoth 399, with Shubman Gill (104) and Shreyas Iyer (105) scoring respective centuries in the rain-marred second ODI at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Apart from them, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav also played a terrific knock, scoring 52 and 72* runs, respectively. Later, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin picked up three wickets each as the hosts defeated Australia by 99 runs using the DLS method to win the series.