Ganguly feels Kohli, Iyer and Rahul can all bat at No. 4 if required
Sourav Ganguly feels that India have sufficient choices for the much-discussed No. 4 place in ODIs within the lead as much as the Asia Cup and World Cup, naming Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul as contenders. He additionally careworn that there’s “no hard and fast rule” about who ought to bat at what place, and gamers needs to be versatile.
“No. 4 is just a number, anyone can fit in,” Ganguly stated at an occasion in Mumbai. “I really don’t think that anybody is born as an opener or No. 3 or No. 4. I had started in the middle order in one-day cricket and was asked to open when Sachin [Tendulkar] was the captain. Sachin also started at No. 6; when he opened, he became a world-class player.
“So anyone can play at No. 4. There’s Virat Kohli for No. 4; there’s Shreyas Iyer as soon as he does effectively on the Asia Cup; there’s KL Rahul. India has huge expertise.
“I keep getting asked that we don’t have this, we don’t have that, but I think we have too much; that’s the problem. I think for No. 4 what Rahul [Dravid], Rohit [Sharma] and the selectors need to do is decide that this is my No. 4 and continue with him till the World Cup.
“One batting slot would not make a lot of a distinction since you do not win a World Cup simply with No. 4. There’s no laborious and quick rule that you simply want somebody at No. 4, all you might want to do is resolve and allow them to play [at that position].”
India will be hosting the ODI World Cup this year, in October-November. The last time they were hosts, in 2011, they won the trophy. But their last ICC title was the 2012 Champions Trophy, in England under MS Dhoni.
“They get to the semi-finals, they play the WTC [World Test Championship] finals; as soon as they get there they’re going to cross the bridge,” Ganguly said. “I’ve a whole lot of religion on this group, and hopefully we’ll see a aspect that may play the Asia Cup, the Australia collection and the World Cup. It’s vital for everybody to be in good type and be decided. One batting place or one participant would not win you the World Cup.
“It’s good that [Jasprit] Bumrah is fit. I saw him bowling in Ireland and he bowled good pace. There is [Mohammed] Shami, [Mohammed] Siraj. There’s [Ravindra] Jadeja, wristpsinners [Kuldeep Yadav], Hardik Pandya. Mukesh Kumar did well recently. I don’t see a problem with it, it’s a problem about who to pick.”