Indian cricket team has got quality batsmen in their side but it will be important for the management to utilize their ability. Indian batsman, MS Dhoni's batting position is one of the topics of discussion ahead of the ICC World Cup 2019.
Dhoni was seen in good touch lately in the IPL 2019. He was in totally different avatar during the cash-rich league but will he be able to continue it in the international cricket as well? If Dhoni is given a comfortable batting position which suits his current batting style, it may do wonders for the side.
Former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is aware of it and feels Dhoni should be asked to bat at number 5. “My personal opinion is Dhoni should be batting (at) five,” Tendulkar told ESPNcricinfo.
“I still don’t know what the team combination would be, but if you are going Rohit and Shikhar as openers, to Virat at No. 3 and whoever at No. 4 then Dhoni could be No. 5. Then Hardik Pandya, an explosive player, follows them. That way the experienced batsmen are well spaced out and Dhoni can stretch the game towards the end where he himself can be explosive along with Hardik," Tendulkar opined.
“From No 5-8 you are looking at finishers, who stay till the end and soak in that pressure. I feel we are well equipped to do that.”
Sachin is expecting India's only left-handed batsman Shikhar Dhawan to stay in the middle for long so that he could enjoy the advantage and dominate bowlers.
“A left-right combination always helps because that means the bowler has to adjust his line every now and then and the (bowling) captain has also to keep thinking,” said Tendulkar.
“And if there is a partnership the job becomes even tougher. So, yes, it is important for a left-hander to be there to put pressure on the legspinner or for that matter any bowler.”
No doubt the pitches in England are batting friendly, the recently concluded England vs Pakistan proved it as well. Tendulkar is hopeful that the spinners would play a big role.
“I believe if you have quality spinners to bowl in the middle overs they would end up picking wickets. It is all about bowling in partnerships - if quality bowlers could bowl in tandem and create pressure on the batting line-up, that is one way of countering all these factors (that) I feel are not in favor of the bowlers.”
(With Reuters Inputs)
