Sourav Ganguly feels that India have enough options for the much-discussed No. 4 position in ODIs in the lead up to the Asia Cup and World Cup, naming Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul as contenders. He also stressed that there is “no hard and fast rule” about who should bat at what position, and players should be flexible.
“No. 4 is just a number, anyone can fit in,” Ganguly said at an event 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 anybody can play at No. 4. There’s Virat Kohli for No. 4; there’s Shreyas Iyer once he does well at the Asia Cup; there’s KL Rahul. India has enormous talent.
“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 doesn’t make so much of a difference because you don’t win a World Cup just with No. 4. There’s no hard and fast rule that you need someone at No. 4, all you need to do is decide and let them 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; once they get there they’ll cross the bridge,” Ganguly said. “I have a lot of faith in this team, and hopefully we’ll see a side that will play the Asia Cup, the Australia series and the World Cup. It’s important for everyone to be in good form and be determined. One batting position or one player doesn’t 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.”
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