CWC 2019: The No.4 conundrum for India
Despite getting a number of chances at the No.4 spot prior to the World Cup, Ambati Rayudu could not solidify his place in the line-up. The position has now become a troublesome one for the team management. The selectors finally opted to go with all-rounder Vijay Shankar for the crucial position, despite his inexperience. Some people have advocated the inclusion of KL Rahul in the playing XI at the No.4 slot. Ravi Shastri has also hinted that Virat Kohli could move away from his preferred No.3 position and drop down the order to lend better balance to the side.
The harsh reality though remains that India are yet to make a breakthrough in their search for a permanent No.4. After the 2015 World Cup, the team has tried out 12 different players at the crucial position, but none of them have made the desired impact. If the Indian team fails to figure out a reasonable solution to the troublesome position, it could prove suicidal during their World Cup campaign. Here we analyse the conundrum which the team currently finds itself in and also look at the potential options.
KL Rahul at No.4
KL Rahul has been picked in the squad as a reserve opener but has only batted in the top three nine times in the last four years. He has scored 310 runs during this period with one century and two half-centuries. Rahul has been considered as one of the leading contenders to bat at No.4 for India, but his record at the position does not inspire much confidence. In the four matches, he has scored only 26 runs.
Could Kohli be the answer to the prayers?
Head coach Ravi Shastri has hinted that Kohli could well bat at No.4 during the World Cup. If the team management does follow up on this move, it could end up backfiring big time as you don’t want to tinker with the position of the best batsman in the world. After the 2015 World Cup, Kohli has batted only 3 times out of the top three and has scored only 30 runs at an average of 10. Overall, Kohli does have an excellent record at No.4 for India. Playing 38 matches, he has scored 1751 runs at an average of 56.48.
Vijay Shankar – The incumbent
Eyebrows were raised when MSK Prasad confirmed that Vijay Shankar would be the designated candidate to bat at No.4 for India at the World Cup. Picked on the basis of his three-dimensional abilities, Shankar is the most inexperienced member in the squad, only getting into the ODI set-up during the last one year. In the 9 matches that he has batted in the middle-order, he has scored 165 runs. Surprisingly, Shankar has never batted at the No.4 position for India, with his batting position being rotated between 5-7. Can India really risk batting a novice at such a crucial position during their World Cup campaign?
A look at the best performers
After the 2015 World Cup, India have tried out 12 different options at the No.4 position. Out of the lot, Dinesh Karthik has emerged as the most steady performer, at least statistically. He has batted at the No.4 spot 9 times, scoring 264 runs at an average of 52.80. Ajinkya Rahane, currently playing for Hampshire in county cricket has been another consistent performer. In 11 matches and 10 innings, he has scored 420 runs at an average of 46.66. Ambati Rayudu, who seemed like a lock-in for the No.4 spot only a few months ago has also performed reasonably well. Playing 16 matches, Rayudu has scored 464 runs in 14 innings at an average of 42.18, with one century and 2 half-centuries. Unfortunately, he lost his form at the most inopportune time, leading to his axing from the squad.
