The 4 To 6 Syndrome

Recently, I came across a comment about Women’s Cricket, “At No. 3 there is Mithali – the concerns start after that at no. 4 to 7”.

That reminded me of the far more pronounced 4 to 6 problem in men’s cricket. We have batsmen who, despite bags of talent and experience, are made to doubt their own ability because of circumstances. It’s a creation of those who are extremely good and therefore can’t be pointed out for any wrong. They control the affairs to play for their happiness, inadvertently compromising the team's interest.

We look around the country for replacements, considering that as a technical need. We don’t realise that it is not such a complex issue as it is made out to be. In the current scenario, there will never be strong   no. 4, 5, 6 unless we change our approach to nurturing batsmen at those spots. It is more of a human than a technical issue.

Confidence in oneself and assurance of a secure place in the side are fundamental needs for a batsman to play to his potential or even beyond. The best of them are likely to fail if given an indication that lack of runs this time at the crease may lead to an end.

Thus 4, 5, and 6 are the most demanding batting positions in ODIs. If your no. 1 to 3 fire, after taking enough time to build their innings, they leave about 10 to 15 overs for those coming later. With the task of enhancing the run rate further, the middle order has to take far more chances – a brisk 30 or 40 is considered a good effort. The 4, 5 and 6, who have been picked as batsmen (and not all-rounders) don’t usually get enough time in good conditions to log big scores. Now, when 1,2 and 3 fail under bad batting conditions on a fast wicket with the ball seeming, 4, 5 and 6 have tremendous pressure. They have to stay on, score fast enough and big – all that without big scores to back up for retention of their places if they fail this time.

We brought up this malaise upon us when critics opined in favour of a young Tendulkar to bat early in ODIs. Taking a cue from there, both Ganguli and Tendulkar began opening innings in ODIs. Incidentally, opening is the easiest batting position in ODIs as the white ball swings little and there are initial field restrictions. Otherwise someone like Rohit Sharma, who has a known weakness of not coming well behind the line of the moving red cherry wouldn’t have been a great ODI opening batsman. Ganguli and Tendulkar did that and today Rohit and Virat do the same – they go back to occupy safer batting positions in Test cricket.

Do we play in team or individual interest, is the moot question. The best guys batting at 1 to 3 leave a vulnerable line up at 4 to 6. Despite all respect for MS Dhoni, it would be wrong to accept that he is or has ever been a batsman worth occupying a position at 4, 5 or 6. And, however good Rayadu, Karthik and Jadhav may be, they don’t have the benefit of big scores behind them for confidence.

The time is running out for the World Cup preparations. However, as a permanent measure, the following two approaches need to be adopted immediately for us not to fall under the Shastry/ Kohli/ Rohit illusion:-

(1)  One of the two (Rohit or Virat) must bat down the order (at 4 or 5) to provide stability. This will give another batsman (there are many accomplished ones) an opportunity to bat freely early on in the innings. Some of those are instinctively opening batsmen but who are uncomfortably pushed down the order to allow big guns to play early.

(2)  India must adopt a policy of rotation. Let’s make a list of 6 batsmen. Each one of them must get an opportunity to bat within 1 to 3 at least once in three or four matches. The 1 to 3 (Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli) must give way by coming back in batting order sometimes.

Rohit and Kohli, the proven champions need not worry about their positions if a Rahul, Rahane, Karthik, or Kedar performs as well or better than them sometimes at 1, 2, 3. That will only help them to be more confident and better equipped to bat in more trying conditions at no. 4 to 6 when the big guns fall early, which happens regularly once in a few innings.

In all this, Dhoni must continue to bat freely (not before no. 7) as he is never on test. Some would however, point out that with Karthik in the side Dhoni has been blocking the place for a batsman like Rahane, who would certainly do better if given confidence.

May good sense prevail and our team spirit rise high!

Best wishes to Men’s as well as Women’s Cricket!