MS Dhoni- The answer to India's number 4 batting slot

The curious case of number four batting slot in the Indian team has become the talk of the town. It has gained even more attention after the ODI series loss against England and it remains no secret that the middle order is in great jeopardy.

The search for the suitable candidate for No.4 spot goes way back in the World Cup 2015 where Ajinkya Rahane batted at that position. Since then, as many as ten batsmen have been tried at this slot with the team still not zeroing on a particular batsman.

Constant changes in the middle order and not giving enough opportunities at that particular slot are some of the reasons why uncertainty exists. The question is who will bat at No.4? The answer has always been there in front of us, and it is none other than Mahendra Singh Dhoni who could utilize this position in the best way.

Let us find out the reasons why this move could solve the long-term issue.

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#5 Excellent track record at No.4

Dhoni batting at No.4 can add more crucial runs than batting at 5 or 6

Dhoni is the best batsman when compared to the other batsmen who have batted at number four position. While batting at this slot, he has accumulated 1230 runs in 27 matches at an amazing average of 55.90 and a strike rate of 94.98 which is way better than his career strike rate of 88.13.

The former captain has scored one century and 11 fifties while batting at this position. In this year's IPL season, he had scored 455 runs in 16 matches at an incredible strike rate of 150.66. The reason why he was so successful because, more often than not, he batted higher up the order.

In the recent ODI and T20I series against England, Dhoni never got to bat at No. 4 slot. He came to bat at No. 5 or 6 which could be the reason for his ordinary outing. With his good track record at this position, the Indian team needs to re-think on his batting slot and give him more opportunities at the above mentioned spot.

#4 Ability to deal with pressure situations

Dhoni's calming influence can stabilize the middle order woes

After the World Cup 2015, India has been performing consistently, and the key to their success is the way the top three batsmen have performed. They have scored the majority of runs, but as soon as these batsmen get dismissed cheaply, the batting looks very fragile.

The pressure comes on to the middle order, and more often than not they have failed to deliver. Also, Dhoni coming at number five or six in this situation does not help the cause. By the time he comes in to bat, there is hardly anyone left to support him.

If Dhoni bats at No.4, whenever the top order crumbles, he could be the perfect batsmen for controlling the early damage to a certain extent. When it comes to pressure situations, none other than Dhoni could deliver it, with the prime example being his match-winning knock in World Cup 2011 Final.

Though Dhoni batted at number 5, the way he built crucial partnerships with Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh illustrates that it could more than handy for the team if he bats more in the top four.

#3 Immense experience

Dhoni has been in the international arena for almost 14 years

In the current ODI squad, Dhoni is most experienced player, and with his immense knowledge, he could be crucial in the World Cup 2019. He reached the milestone of 10000 runs in the ODI format at an average of almost 51 which speaks volumes of his skills. More importantly, most of the runs have come batting at number 5, 6 and 7.

In the middle order, especially batting at No. 4, an experienced batsman can be very handy as he will be able to asses the conditions better. Dhoni's wealth of experience and ability to read the game makes him the most eligible candidate for the number four slot. Whether it is chasing total or setting a target, Dhoni's early presence in the batting order could make a huge difference.

Also, considering the big stage of the World Cup and with very little time left for the preparations, there is no room for experimentation which is why someone with the experience of Dhoni should ideally take the spot.

#2 Partnership with Virat Kohli

Both Kohli and Dhoni are the pillars of Indian batting line-up

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli share a great bond with each other, whether on or off the field. Also, both the players are match winners and if they bat together for majority of the times, a win is almost certain for team India.

If Dhoni would bat at number four, and with Kohli coming at three, it could be the best case scenario for the team as both will bat together for longer periods. As an additional bonus, their running between the wickets is excellent which could be very crucial in the middle overs.

They have also stitched many match-winning partnerships, the home series against New Zealand in 2016 being a classic example of it. The former captain had batted at No.4 spot in the whole series where the duo shared two-match winning partnerships and won the series 3-2.

Also, Kohli batting at the other end can allow Dhoni to play his own game where he normally takes time to settle in. With these both batting more often it could stabilize and release the pressure from the middle order.

#1 Gives extra time to settle

Dhoni has struggled to get in the attacking mode right from the start

After India lost the series against England by 2-1, a lot of batsmen, especially the middle order, came under the scanner. Many experts believed that Dhoni played too slow in both the innings where he scored 37 off 59 balls in the second ODI and 42 runs off 66 balls in the decider match.

In the past, Dhoni has been criticized for slow starts and not converting into big ones. In the second ODI, when he came to bat at six, the required rate was already around 8, and with wickets falling from the other end, the game was well over before he could attack.

Sometimes when we look for a solution to a problem, it lies well in front of us but we fail to see it. Same might be the case with India's No. 4 conundrum. Making Dhoni bat at No. 4 might turn out to be the biggest master stroke of Virat Kohli's captaincy career. With his sheer amount of experience, MSD might turn out to be India's biggest success story of the upcoming Cricket World Cup in 2019.