“No. 4 is just a number; anybody can fit in” - Sourav Ganguly says even Virat Kohli and KL Rahul can bat 2-down for India
Former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly feels that "anybody can fit in" at No. 4 for India in the ODIs. He gave examples of himself, Sachin Tendulkar, and Yuvraj Singh, saying batting positions are flexible and for the current team, even Virat Kohli and KL Rahul can bat at No. 4.
India struggled to find a No. 4 ahead of the 2019 ODI World Cup before eventually going for the inexperienced Vijay Shankar. That uncertainty was labeled as a big reason for the team's semi-final exit.
The same problem threatened to appear again this season when Shreyas Iyer, who had made the position his own with two centuries and over 800 runs, got injured. India tried half-a-dozen options but none of them worked.
"No. 4 is just a number; anybody can fit in," Sourav Ganguly said while pspeaking as the brand ambassador at Casagrand's launch event in Mumbai, before India revealed the squad for the 2023 Asia Cup.
"I really don’t think and I believe, even when I was playing, anybody is born an opener or three or four. I started in the middle order in one-day cricket and then went on to open because I was asked to do by Sachin at that time as captain. And it was the same thing with Sachin. He batted at No. 6, until his captain asked him to open and he became a world-class player. So anybody can play No. 4. There is Virat Kohli who can bat at No. 4. There is Shreyas Iyer, once he does well in the Asia Cup. There is KL Rahul. India have enormous talent," he added.
Ganguly added that the team's problem isn't not having a solution for a batting position but having too many options. He said Team India head coach Rahul Dravid now needs to stick with one player for all the matches before the World Cup.
The former skipper also offered a reply to Rohit Sharma, who had said India has struggled to find a number four since Yuvraj Singh emptied it in 2017.
"I read we have not found a replacement of Yuvraj Singh at No. 4," he said. "When I was captain, Yuvraj batted at No. 6 and did magnificently. When MS became captain, Yuvraj batted at No. 4. But in the World Cup final, MS batted at five and won it for you. So there’s no hard-and-fast rule that you need somebody at No. 4. What you need to do is decide and let them play. Because you don’t win a World Cup only because of No. 4. India won the World Cup in 2011 because Gautam Gambhir also got 97 at the top.
Shreyas has been included in the Asia Cup squad and is likely he'll take the position back. Kohli has scored seven centuries from No. 4 at a brilliant average of 55.22 but it's less than his numbers at one-down - 39 centuries at an average of 60.21.
Getting to the semi-finals and finals is an achievement in itself, says Sourav Ganguly
On India's lack of an ICC trophy since 2013, Ganguly said India will "surely" get there and it's only about taking the extra step.
"At least they get to semifinals, they get to Test Championship finals, which in itself is an achievement," Ganguly said. "Once they get there, they will cross the bridge. I have a lot of time for this team, I have a lot of faith in this team. It is important for everybody to be in good form and for everybody to be determined and wanting to make a difference."
The former left-handed batter concluded by praising India's all-bases-covered bowling attack and said now it's only a matter of "who to pick" for the World Cup.