ODI World Cup 2023: Despite four years passing since the last Cricket World Cup cycle, the Indian team continues to grapple with a familiar issue. With Iyer and Rahul striving to regain fitness ahead of the World Cup, India experimented with various batters at numbers four and five, with limited success. Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav received opportunities in these positions but struggled to make a strong impact. Despite the potential returns of Iyer and Rahul, their lack of match practice remains a concern.
What happened in the 2019 ODI World Cup?
Back in October 2018, then-captain Virat Kohli had expressed confidence in Ambati Rayudu, proclaiming him as India’s number four batter for the upcoming 2019 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup. However, come April 2019, Rayudu was surprisingly dropped from the World Cup squad in favour of the all-rounder Vijay Shankar, who was considered a “three-dimensional” player. Rayudu’s omission raised eyebrows, especially considering he had played more matches at number four than any other batter leading up to the World Cup. Later on, Shankar’s opportunities were limited during the tournament as he played just 3 matches before being out due to injury.
Problem continues for the 2023 ODI World Cup?
Fast forward to 2023, as India gears up to host another World Cup, the team finds itself once again without a settled number four or number five batter in the lineup. The search for stability in these crucial positions continues to be a challenge. The crucial role of the number four batter as a bridge between the top and middle orders holds immense significance in cricket. These batters are relied upon to stabilize or accelerate the innings as needed, making their absence a major concern for the Indian team.
Key players suffering from injury
Injuries to key players like Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant have dealt significant blows to India’s middle-order strength. Iyer’s impressive performances and consistency made him a promising number four batter, but a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Test series resulted in surgery, ruling him out of the IPL 2023 and the World Test Championship Final.
Similarly, Rahul had established himself as a reliable number five batter, but a thigh injury during the Indian Premier League led to him missing international cricket as well. Additionally, Pant’s absence due to a car crash further increased the problem for captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid, as he had been contributing significantly in the middle order.
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