CHENNAI: By Virat Kohli’s admission during India’s ODIs against Australia, 14 of the 15 World Cup spots were “more or less sorted with”. “There’s just one that’s up for discussion.”
But, this was never going to be an easy choice.
India’s problem was that they didn’t — they still don’t — know whom they’ll need. Which is why it isn’t surprising to see the scales tilted heavily in Rishabh Pant’s favour, despite not-so-good ODI returns and even in the ongoing IPL.
It isn’t like 2003, when India were so spoilt for choice they left VVS Laxman for Dinesh Mongia. Nor have they built a team like the 2011 squad, which had every aspect covered.
Their never-ending search for a No 4 is what has made them look at so many alternatives. They’ve now so badly run out of options that it has made the management look at Pant.
Sample this. Even ahead of the 2015 World Cup, India were scratching their heads as to who was the best fit. While Ajinkya Rahane did the job, the team never received momentum in the middle overs. That they have managed to not solve this issue for four years says a thing or ten.
While selectors invested in Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik for a prolonged period, none have made match-winning contributions to stand out on a consistent basis. Plus they are one-dimensional players. India did try out Shreyas Iyer; an experiment that looked like it’d finally crack the formula.
But by aborting that midway, and carrying on with Rayudu and Karthik — not to mention Kedar Jadhav’s comeback — the hunt for No 4 was heading to just one place: no-man’s land.
So, now what? KL Rahul (back-up opener), all-rounder Vijay Shankar and Pant seem like the ones whom India might consider as their No 4.
Slotting Pant into that position also solves another problem. India will finally have a left-hander in their middle-order, something that they have been lacking since Suresh Raina’s days with the team came to an apparent end.
There is also the fact that the management believes that Pant brings with him an X-factor. While Karthik might feel every bit disappointed at the eventuality of missing out, India seem to believe that the last sentence is reason enough for making a punt on the southpaw.
Their apparent reasoning? Pant is a big match-winner as compared to Karthik. And in MS Dhoni, Jadhav and Hardik Pandya, the team has others who can play the finisher’s role.
Whomsoever fits in, the hole in the middle-order is glaringly visible for their nine opponents in England. It seems like while preparing for a grand party, India missed out on getting their attire right. As a result, they’re now settling for a tailor-made fix that may save them potential embarrassment in the Old Blighty.