Former India skipper and head coach Anil Kumble has questioned Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri’s chopping and changing policy in the ODIs. He also stated that MS Dhoni should bat at number 4 in the World Cup.
“If you look back at the last couple of years of success that the Indian team has had, it has been mainly due to the fact that the top three have performed consistently, and it still remains so. In a 50-over game, you want your top three to contribute. For me, I still believe MS Dhoni should bat at 4. (Numbers) 5, 6 and 7 is something that you need to start thinking about and that’s where I felt that there was too much chopping, changing and trying to figure out who will fit in into that 4, 5 or 6 in that middle order other than MS Dhoni. That to me has made it a little more unsettling for us, watching from outside,” Kumble told Cricket Next.
“What if the top three don’t fire in an important game, say a semi-final or a final? Then you need the back-ups to stand up and do it and that’s where I believe that the middle order hasn’t been given enough opportunities leading up to the World Cup and haven’t been consistent with the players that have been selected in that middle order.
So, I’d like to probably continue that and like I said, for me the top four will win you 70-80% of matches and ideally your top four need to have that quality and that’s why I’m keen that someone like MS Dhoni bats at four and manages the middle order, rather than coming in where he has to not just manage the middle order but also keep up with the run chase, that’s something I would want to see,” said Kumble.
Kumble further added that players haven’t been enough opportunities to prove themselves in the middle order.