THE TALE OF TWO DOWN AND THE FOUR

By Team SportsMechanics

Explosive. Entertaining. Unfazed.

These are words that have come to be associated with the Indian batting line-up over the last few years and justifiably so. India have always been regarded as a batting powerhouse, but backed now with a much more balanced bowling line up, the Indian batsmen seem to be thriving in a fearless environment that looks to have emanated from their captain Virat Kohli.

India have won 18 out of their 25 games since the turn of the new year, and despite their batting dominance (India have scored over 250 in 7 out of the 10 innings batting first), one missing piece which could propel and cement India’s place atop of the ODI rankings will be to find a permanent solution for the 4th spot.

 With the 2019 World Cup clearly on their minds, different combinations have been tried and tested to boost their rarely exposed middle order, which has largely benefitted from a green patch from Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

India have tried 11 batsmen in the position since the 2015 world cup, where Ajinkya Rahane did the job for most of the tournament. However, Kohli has made it clear that Rahane has cemented his place as a third opener, and thus it looks less likely that the Mumbai-batsman will be demoted down the order.

WHO ARE THE OPTIONS?

Manish Pandey looked to be the first choice in the recent victorious series against Australia at home. However, after scores of 0 and 3 in the first two ODI’s, Hardik Pandya was promoted ahead of the Karnataka batsman in the 3rd and 4th ODI’s, with Jadhav taking the 4th spot in the final game.

 Pandey has flattered to deceive since he burst onto the ODI scene with brilliant century against Australia at last year. His struggles were laid bare against New Zealand in the 3-2 ODI series win in 2016, scoring past 20 just once. He did not get a look in for the home series against England, and injury ruled him out of the Champions Trophy. He made his return in the Sri Lanka series, and with KL Rahul looking out of sorts, the 28-yer-old notched up a half century batting lower down the order and a gritty 36 in a tough chase in Colombo at no.4.

Rahul seems to have lost his way a little bit after exploding on the scene, becoming the first Indian batsman to score an ODI Century on debut against Zimbabwe. With Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan upping the ante, Rahul was slotted in the middle order for the Sri Lanka series where he scored 4, 17 and 7, and was subsequently dropped from the ODI series against New Zealand. However, Kohli has said he does not want a situation similar to Ajinkya Rahane, and Rahul will be purely looked upon as an opener, where his strengths seem to lie.

Pandey has a healthy average of 36.6 batting at the crucial no.4 position, amassing 183 runs in his 7 innings. However, his most recent scores of 0, 3 against Australia will increase skepticism about his suitability to the role, and with Dinesh Karthik getting amongst the runs in the second ODI, the pressure firmly lies with Pandey to cement his place in the squad.

Karthik has made a late case for himself, without a doubt. The wicketkeeper, who made his Indian debut in 2004, notched up 704 runs in the Ranji season, and his brilliant 126 in the Deodar Trophy final turned the tables in favour of Tamil Nadu against India B, a side which included Dhawan and Pandey. He continued to be amongst the runs in the Duleep Trophy, scoring 291 runs in 3 games for India Red, all of which resulted in a merited selection for the New Zealand series.

At 32, Karthik has experience on his side but like Pandey, is yet to capitalize on his opportunities in the international arena. However, if his last two innings’ are anything to go by, Karthik’s inclusion in the side is justified. Promoted up the order, his 64-run innings was not always a pleasing sight, but as he continued to chip away the runs, his case for a role in the side grew.

Karthik’s half-century was his second at no.4 and only the 3rd in the position in the last 21 games for India. He has also been sent up the order to accelerate the innings when required. HardikPandya has scored 142 runs in his 4 innings at #4, his most memorable being a match-winning 78 against Australia. However, his explosive nature may not fit the traditional top order role and could be used only on an experimental basis to unsettle the opposition.

Despite breaking through rather late into the ODI squad, Kedar Jadhav has also been rotated with his counterparts for the #4 spot, and has been a useful squad player for Kohli. He averaged 34.50 with the willow against Australia, where, promoted above Pandey in Bangalore, Jadhav’s 67, though in a losing cause, showed glimpses of his ability to revel under pressure in chases. In addition, the 32-year-old has also become a more than useful part-time bowler for Kohli, applying the brakes on the opposition when required.

With selectors looking to strike the right balance for the World Cup in England, it is unlikely that Yuvraj Singh will get a look in. He had so often brought that much needed stability in the middle order for India over the years. The 35-year-old, has done little to warrant a place in the side since his 53 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, and fitness issues have only pushed him further on the sidelines. In his 10 innings at #4 in 2017, the experienced southpaw averages 44.75, but 150 out of the 358 runs have come in a single innings when he turned back the clock and smashed the English bowlers all over the ground in Cuttack.

With the selectors trying and testing different combinations, the experienced head of MS Dhoni can never be counted out. The 36-year-old has been to some extent shuffled around in the batting order, and while he may not be at his destructive best, his ability to adapt to game situations and soak in the pressure is second to none. In 8 innings between 2015-16, the former captain has scored 313 runs at 4, at an average of 39.12 and amongst a constantly changing middle-order line-up for India, Dhoni has been an assured and stable presence.