India vs New Zealand 2017: Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan back Dinesh Karthik to fill No. 4 spot

What's the story?

Legendary cricketers Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh have backed Dinesh Karthik to fill the crucial number four spot in the Indian batting lineup for the limited-overs formats. The erstwhile icons hailed the Tamil Nadu batsman's performance in the recently completed second ODI against New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

"He (Karthik) played well to be honest, although there was not much pressure when you're chasing that kind of a total. He will be tested but he should play as long as he is performing. But he should be allowed to play at No. 4 as long as he is scoring the runs," Ganguly told India Today.

Echoing his former skipper's sentiments, Harbhajan Singh said, "(I am) happy to see Dinesh Karthik batting at number 4. He is one of those guys who has the correct technique to bat at number 4. Good to see him getting those runs and I'm sure these will boost his confidence. I'm sure you will see better performances in the future."

The context

The number four position in any lineup holds the key between the top-order and the lower middle-order. Despite giving opportunities to plenty of prospective batsmen, none of them has sealed the spot. As a consequence, the gaping hole in the batting order has become a concern for Virat Kohli's team.

The heart of the matter

Since Suresh Raina's decline in form, the team management have tried out the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav in the number four spot. Veteran batsman Yuvraj Singh, who made a comeback into the team earlier this year, shone briefly before fizzling out in the latter stages of the 2017 Champions Trophy. Having failed the mandatory Yo-Yo test, the flamboyant left-hander's international career appears to be over.

Extra Cover: 1 problem, 10 failed solutions - The curious case of India's No. 4

After scoring a half-century in the fifth ODI against West Indies at Jamaica and helping India win the series 3-1, Karthik propelled himself into contention for the number four position. Despite finding himself on the sidelines for the vast majority of the last few months, the enterprising right-hander has managed to register scores of 37 and 64 not out in the ongoing 3-match series against New Zealand. The latter knock, in particular, was instrumental in India squaring the series.

What's next?

Karthik will be looking for another commendable knock in the all-important series decider between India and New Zealand at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Sunday.

Author's take

Even though age may not be on his side, the 32-year-old Karthik has made a solid case thus far for sealing the number four slot in the Indian batting lineup. If he maintains his consistency in the coming games, the seasoned campaigner could make the key position his own.