Has Ambati Rayudu sealed the number 4 spot?
Ambati Rayudu scored a brilliant century in the 4th ODI against West Indies, and has shown his potential as a number 4 batsman. Can India finally say that the number 4 conundrum has been answered?
Rayudu has improved himself as a batsman and he is playing with more maturity now; he understands his strengths and weaknesses and plays according to them. He plays spin really well, and that's very important for a middle-order batsman because most of the times he will come out to bat when the spinners are operating.
The only thing Rayudu needs to improve a bit is his stroke play against the quicker bowlers. He tends to struggle a bit when he plays against a quality pace bowler who can make the ball dart around.
Rayudu has been consistent with his performances since the time he has made a comeback into the Indian team. Everyone was of the opinion that KL Rahul should bat at number 4, but the team decided to keep Rahul as a reserve opener and give Rayudu a chance to perform at number 4 - a chance that he has grabbed with both hands.
His performance in this year's IPL as well as in the domestic season gave him a well-deserved place in the Indian team, and he made most of this opportunity by scoring some crucial runs.
The number 4 batsman usually gets 20 or maximum of 25 overs to bat, as the top 3 batsmen for India are very consistent with their performances. But when the top order fails, the whole responsibility falls on the middle order to perform and get the team out of trouble.
The only question was: would Rayudu be able to shift gears and score quickly? The way he played in the 4th ODI has ended this debate. He took the attack to the opposition bowlers, which was heartening for every Indian cricket fan to see. He used his feet against the spinners and smashed them down the ground, and even manipulated the field nicely. But most importantly, he never looked uncomfortable while maintaining a good scoring rate.
Batting at number 4 is not an easy job. Kohli has gone on record saying that Rayudu will be India's number 4 batsman in ODIs, irrespective of his short-term performances. When a player gets this kind of support from his skipper, it enhances his confidence - and that's precisely what has happened with Rayudu.
He had the cushion that even if he failed to score in one or two games he would not get dropped from the side, which is very important for a player to know to perform well.
It is crystal clear now that Rayudu will be playing at number 4 for India in the World Cup. He has the required temperament, and he can play according to the situation and set the platform for the lower middle order to finish the job.
After a long search and a series of disappointments, the Indian team has finally got a player who is consistently performing well at number 4. Does that make them the favorites to win the 2019 World Cup?