4 Players who could bat at number four for India

India has one of the strongest teams in the world at the moment. They have a strong balance between experience and youth. India is the team that possesses the two best batsmen and the best bowler in white-ball cricket. Yet, they came up short in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup. While India has a superb top order, their middle-order has let them down on numerous occasions.

For years, Indian fans and cricket experts have been divided on the identity of the Indian side's number four batsman. Since the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, India has tried 10 different batsmen at the said position but still hasn’t solidified that spot.

Preparations for the next World Cup needs to start now, and the biggest issue the team management needs to address is the number four position.

Hence, this post aims to highlight four players who could be a perfect fit at number four for India.

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#4 Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey possesses all the essential qualities required of a number four batsman. He is calm under pressure, can rotate the strike, and is an incredibly gifted player of spin. Pandey should’ve been India’s top pick to bat at number four at this year's ICC Cricket World Cup. He was in great form leading up to the tournament. However, he has somehow found himself excluded from the ODI lineup.

Pandey’s batting is a joy to watch. He times the ball beautifully and can manufacture shots at will. The right-handed batsman will always be remembered for being the first Indian to score a century in the IPL.

He made his international debut in 2015, six years after his IPL bow. Despite performing well, he found himself in and out of the Indian dressing. Given that India is currently in desperate need of a number four batsman, they could turn to Pandey to fulfill that role.

Moreover, Pandey’s record at this position isn’t too bad. In 7 innings, he has scored 183 runs at an average of 36.60. Therefore, it makes sense to give him another chance to bat at number four. Given that the countdown has started for the next World Cup, this could be the perfect time for India to give him another chance at this batting position.

#3 Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill is a stylish right-handed batsman who has a penchant for scoring big runs during crucial games. This was evident in the 2018 under-19 World Cup where the youngster finished the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer with 372 runs.

A top-order batsman by trade, Gill’s stroke-making ability and attacking style of play could be the missing piece in India’s middle-order puzzle. At 19 years of age, Gill still has a long way to go before he can hone his craft. However, for that to happen, he needs to play international cricket against some of the best players in the world.

Despite being shuffled around the Kolkata Knight Riders’ batting lineup, he has still managed to find a way to deliver good performances when needed. The fact that he is a top-order batsman shouldn’t limit his opportunities. He is young enough to adapt to a new batting position.

At the moment, India has an open slot in the middle-order that is up for grabs and Shubman needs a platform to showcase his skills. It just seems like a perfect match.

#2 Nitish Rana

Nitish Rana

Nitish Rana is another player who would be a perfect fit for the number four position. He has also scored a majority of his runs in the IPL batting at number four. He has the temperament required to handle the pressure that comes with batting in the middle-order.

Rana’s IPL form seems to be improving every year. Moreover, he is also an experienced number four batsman and has scored 482 runs at this position in his IPL career. This would be the perfect time for the Indian selectors to allow him to feature in the national squad. The lad from Delhi can bowl a bit and is superb in the field. Thus, his multi-faceted game-play could provide several dimensions to the team.

Courtesy of being a part-time off-spinner, Rana can also roll his arm over if required by Virat Kohli, thereby providing his captain with a sixth bowling option.

#1 Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is considered by many to be the heir to Virat Kohli’s number three position. But, that shouldn’t prevent him from featuring in the playing XI immediately. He has to start somewhere and number four would be the perfect position for him.

Known for his ability to match classical shots with brute force, Shreyas could well be the saving grace that India’s middle-order desperately needs. While his first stint in the Indian team was short, he has grown a lot recently under Ricky Ponting at the Delhi Capitals. Moreover, being captain of the Delhi franchise has helped his game grow by leaps and bounds over the years.

In addition, Iyer has been in good form for the India A side and has been consistently piling up runs whenever accorded the opportunities in unofficial ODIs and Tests.

If he maintains the same level of consistency, he could find himself playing for India again.