Opinion: Too much brouhaha about India’s No 4 at 2019 World Cup; a well-rounded team more important

The No 1 topic in Indian cricket currently is about who will fill the No 4 slot in the country’s World Cup campaign

The No 1 topic in Indian cricket currently is about who will fill the No 4 slot in the country’s World Cup campaign. Anybody who is somebody is weighing in on the matter, which was spiced up further by the surprising choices of former captains Dilip Vengsarkar and Sourav Ganguly.

Before the series against Australia, skipper Virat Kohli was emphatic that the IPL would not influence selection for the World Cup. Seeing how things have unravelled since, he will have been forced to rethink this position.(AP)

While debate has largely revolved around the claims of Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik, the two former captains bowled ‘doosras’, as it were, to flummox fans and I dare say even the selectors with their picks.

Vengsarkar plumped for Ajinkya Rahane, Ganguly advocated the claims of Cheteshwar Pujara. Neither batsman has been in the scheme of things for ODIs in recent times, which made their choice intriguing to say the least.

Rahane, once considered integral to the ODI side, has been languishing on the margins for almost a year. Pujara has played only five ODIs in his career, the last many moons ago, and has not been on the radar of limited-overs cricket since.

It’s unlikely that Vengsarkar and Ganguly were stirring the pot just for fun. Rahane has several sterling past performances, Pujara has magnificent current form, especially in domestic List A matches. There is logic in the argument that in English conditions, their vast experience could matter.

That said, the possibility of Rahane or Pujara making the cut is remote. Ganguly in fact has since punctuated his original opinion with several ifs and buts and veered towards young Pant.

Yet in a broader sense, what he and Vengsarkar have highlighted is the fragility of the Indian top order. This worry only got enhanced in the recent ODI series defeat to Australia despite a 2-0 lead at one stage.

True, India did not play all matches at full strength. Even so, to lose to a team without Steve Smith and David Warner, and that too at home after winning the series Down Under quite easily, was a setback. Certainly in firming up the World Cup squad.

The selectors and team management have come under some flak for prolonged experimentation, but I think that criticism is specious. With so much talent on hand, how else can a 15-member squad be selected?

Competition among players is not only inevitable in such a situation, but also desirable. It tests the mettle of players under pressure, provides better knowledge and data for selectors and team management to make their call.

This process has worked splendidly for some players if you consider those who have made a successful comeback to the ODI side (Mohd Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav), or a newcomer like Vijay Shankar who has made a favourable impact.

Where it has not worked is in determining the full batting complement in the squad since all fancied claimants --- KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik --– have fallen well short of expectations.

Getting a batting line-up that can be interchanged according to conditions and opponents, tackle all situations with assurance (if not aplomb) is the nub of the issue, not just the No 4 spot about which there is so much brouhaha.

In fact, India have a No 4 batsman currently in Vijay Shankar. Thrown in at the deep end in difficult circumstances, shuttled up and down the order, he has shown gumption, character, skills and robust ambition to succeed.

If there was a match tomorrow, Shankar would be an automatic selection in the playing XI, and given that all other places in the top six are decided, his batting spot automatically settles at No 4.

My surmise is that 13 of the 15-member squad are finalised. The two spots vacant are both for batsmen, one of whom will be back-up wicket-keeper to MS Dhoni, but both versatile enough to bat anywhere in the order.

Before the series against Australia, skipper Virat Kohli was emphatic that the IPL would not influence selection for the World Cup. Seeing how things have unravelled since, he will have been forced to rethink this position.

All those batsmen featured here are obviously in the running for the remaining places, but it is not just restricted only to them now. A ‘wild card’ entry (or two) for those who come up with impossible to ignore performances can’t be ruled out.