India vs Sri Lanka 2017: Dinesh Karthik confident of sealing number four spot in ODI team

What's the story?

India's wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik has expressed faith in his ability to grab the vacant number four position in the ODI lineup. Alluding to his extensive experience in batting at the middle-order spot for Tamil Nadu, the 32-year old backed himself to make a solid case for the crucial slot in the upcoming 3-match series against Sri Lanka.

"It's a little hard to say, in terms of why people haven't been able to nail that spot. I can say only for myself because I've batted for Tamil Nadu and in the IPL at number four. I can confidently say that I'm very confident to bat in that position. I understand what needs to be done and how to go about it and in the experience comes in really handy then", Karthik told Cricbuzz.

The stalwart added, "The number four batsman is under the scanner because nobody has probably done as well to seal the spot. So whoever is there is under the spotlight. That's just about it. It's pretty simple if I can do well if I'm able to be consistent and able to do what the team management wants me to do, then there won't be any scrutiny per say."

The background

The number four batsman has been a major concern for India in recent times. With the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina dropping out of form, the team management have tried numerous batsmen at the vital middle-order slot. However, none of them have managed to seal the position thus far.

The heart of the matter

Following his consistent performances in the Deodhar Trophy, Karthik was called up to India's squad for the 2017 Champions Trophy as replacement for the injured Manish Pandey. Since his comeback, he has featured in five ODIs and played three of those matches at the number four position in the batting lineup. On two of those occasions, the right-hander scored unbeaten half-centuries.

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Karthik insisted that the revamped fielding restriction rules have increased the pressure on those batting in the middle-order. With teams allowed to have five fielders outside the inner circle for the last ten overs, batsmen are expected to be more proactive and look for boundaries in the middle-overs. Hence, the number four spot has become a challenging one.

What's next?

Karthik will be hoping to impress when the first ODI against Sri Lanka begins at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on December 10.

Author's take

With the reliable Virat Kohli rested for the series, India's batting lineup will be under considerable pressure to lift their game. It will be interesting to see how the team management utilises the likes of Karthik, Pandey and Kedar Jadhav for the middle-order spots.