India has been blessed with an excellent middle order for the last 2 decades. The likes of Dhoni, Yuvraj, Raina, Kaif, Rahane, has made the batting middle order look solid. This keeping in mind that our top three for the last 20 years or so, has been the best in the world. the likes of Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ganguly, Dravid and more recently, Gambhir, Rohit, Shikhar and Kohli, makes the battling line up strong and accomplished.
Perhaps with the advent of more and more T20s being played, and change in rules that have favoured batsmen, in general, the most notable diffierence that we have seen is the strikerates going up and also averages touching the roof. Consider Yuvraj Singh, whom i would rate as India’s best ODI no. 4 batsman in history, finished the game with an average of 36 odd.
In todays’ day and age an average of 36 would probably challange your place in the side. Anything below the average of 40 these days is considered mediocre. It is therefore a huge concern for India and its fans to see that in the middle overs, once dhoni retires from cricket, we will not have any experience in slots 4, 5, 6. I am also not considering Kedar, who has been a great asset for India, as he sits at the wrong side of the fence, age-wise, at 34.
Shreyas Iyer, K L Rahul, Subhman Gill, Pant, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Kartik would be the likely contenders to fill in these spots. infact of these names Shubman Gill and K L Rahul, along with Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw, would ideally be more suited at the top of the order. But with Shikhar, Rohit and Virat, performing at their peak, these players have had to settle down with in the middle order. Infact, even Pant, who still remains an enigma, is also a good hitter, and has a game more suited post the 40 over mark. Also, Manish Pandey, who has also been given a go ahead, has been only ok so far, but again lacks the consistancy that we would need at the number 4 slot.
That leaves us with only Shreyas Iyer, who has played only 5 ODIs innings, prior to the ongoing tour of WI. For some strange reasons after coming on the scene, and manageing to score swiftly at almost a run a ball, with an average of 42+ and with 2 fifty plus scores (out of the 5 innings he was tried out), he has had to sit out of the playing eleven for 27 straight ODI games!
Extremely strange is his case, in which he is getting a game in after almost a one and a half year of lay off. Not that we had any other batsman who has made his mark at no. 4. The funny part here is that even when Rayadu was not considered, we tried Vijay Shankar, K L Rahul, Pant and even Hardik Pandiya at the number 4 slot. There appears to be not one single batsman post Yuvraj (who has retired now), who has made the number 4 position, his own. between 2017 and 2018, Rayadu was given an extended run. But in 2019, post the Australia tour, was dropped from the team, possibly owing to his slow strike rate.
So what are the virtues of a desirable number four and who at present would be the best number four batsman in the world. Amongst the players who are presently playing the game I have opted for Ross Taylor, Ean Morgan and Faf du Plasis as the best number 4 batsman. The three not just are classy pure batsman, but have seldom played rash shots, have almost always settled the ship and to add to that they also have the gift of taking the batting deep and playing around all rounders and hitters to follow.
For me I think apart the above virtues, which also come with experiece, there are some technical qualities that a good number four should have. The ability to rotate strike well, a good strike rate, being able to play spinners and pacers equally well, consistancy in scoring runs, the ability to take the innings deeper and accelerating at the end, are the technical aspects that a dream number four should have. Currently, I rate Ross Taylor as the best number 4 batsman in world cricket.
Of the present crop of Indian batsmen, the only batsman who comes close to each of these qualities, is Sreyas Iyer. It is a real waste of his talent, that he has not been given more game time, unexplainable.
ODI Batting record of Sreyas Iyer- Source ESPN Cricinfo
The last inning of 71 against the West Indies, where he came at no. 5, makes his position settled in the team. I would bat him at number four, followed by Kedar, Pant or Jadeja at number 5, 6 and 7, depending on the situation. I have kept the option ope
n for Jadeja to come in at number 5 as well. Going by his recent batting form, and knowing what is capable of, Jadeja, Pant can interchange their positions or come in at no. 5, based on requirement. Keder possibly would almost in all cases come at number 5, unless a left hander is required to unsettle things at no. 5. Also, when Hardik is back, I would let him loose at the last 5 to 7 overs mark.
So in terms of the present crop of players in ODI, I think the best combination would be, 1. Rohit, 2. Shikhar (Rahul/Gill as back up to the openers), 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Shreyas Iyer (Manoj Pandey or Gill as back up to no. 3 and 4), 5. Jadhav, 6. Pant, 7. Jadeja, 8. Hardik Pandya (Krunal Pandya as back up), 9. Bhuvaneshwar/Shami, 10. Kuldeep/Chahar, 11. Bumrah.
What would be your dream eleven?
The Twelfth Man 