Virat Kohli has not lost a bilateral ODI series as a captain since taking over from MS Dhoni
#1. The number 4 dilemma
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Ajinkya Rahane has batted at number 4 in the ongoing ODI series against South Africa
The number four position in ODI cricket is one of the most vital positions. The number 4 batsman should stabilize the innings in case of a couple of early wickets. In case of a big partnership, he should play the role of the aggressor in the last 10 overs of the innings and provide the finishing touches.
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While the number 4 position was vacant in the Indian team since the exclusion of Yuvraj Singh, the management has experimented with the likes of Dinesh Kartik, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey and most recently with Ajinkya Rahane in ODIs.
Though Rahane impressed one and all with an impressive innings of 79 in the first ODI against South Africa at Durban, he has failed to live up to the expectations in the remaining matches played and scored just 19 runs in the next two innings. Rahane can play the role of the stabilizer but only time will tell if he can play the role of the aggressor if the situation demands.
The team management would like to give more opportunities to Shreyas Iyer, who has shown glimpses of his class with the limited opportunities he has been provided in the international arena.
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About the author
Meit Sampat
Meit is a cricket journalist who has been working at Sportskeeda for over eight years, writing listicles. A Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Legislative Laws and Company Secretary degree holder, Meit engages in ethical reporting by verifying information twice from multiple websites before penning down any content for the benefit of his readers.
A passionate fan of Team India, Cricket has a special place in his heart owing to the way the sport has continued to evolve over the years. He is also thrilled by the competitiveness on display across all formats in the sport. His favorite cricketer is Sachin Tendulkar and reckons that his childhood idol's dominance over world-class bowlers in the 1990s speaks volumes about his skills and achievements.
Meit has had the privilege of interviewing Indian speedster Ishant Sharma and India Women's legend Mithali Raj so far in his professional career.
If he ever laid his hands on a time machine, Meit would love to witness the 2023 ICC World Cup final between India and Australia and believes that ODIs should never be completely replaced by T20Is owing to the format's popularity.