Sanjay Bangar names the perfect candidate to solve India's middle-order jumble

With 11 months to go for the World Cup 2019, the Indian cricket team that is considered a front-runner for the title is still struggling to figure out the best working middle-order combination. Their top three is certain with Rohit Sharma-Shikhar Dhawan opening the batting at Virat Kohli at 3. However, they are yet to find the owners for the number four, five and six spots in the line-up. Ahead of the series-decider against England at Leeds, the team’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar talked about the possibilities.

The Indian selectors had picked Ambati Rayudu in the squad for the ODI series following his successful run in the Indian Premier League. However, the batsman failed to clear the fitness test and was thus dropped from the side. In his place they brought in left-hander Suresh Raina. When the series got underway, the team preferred Raina over Dinesh Karthik who has been quite consistent in whatever chances he has been granted in the blue jersey.

“The plan was to have a left-hander batting in the middle order that is the reason why Suresh (Raina) was picked ahead of Dinesh (Karthik),” Bangar said talking about the idea in the pre-match press conference.

The middle order

They’ve used MS Dhoni at No.5 and even 6 at times, while most people think the higher up he bats in the order the better it is for both him and the team. Giving further insight into the combination they might field, he said that they have quite a few names on the bench and that keeps the team secure even in case of an uncertainty. ”Going forward we have 16-17 games to go for the World Cup. We will look to settle the middle order slots in this time,” the batting coach said.

They have tried the likes of KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane even Kedar Jadhav and Manish Pandey for the No.4 slot along with Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina but are yet to find a permanent solution.

“I am pretty sure that things are pretty fluid at the moment so it’s not that a guy is only going to bat at a particular number. It is going to be a very fluid situation and we will see the players available the fitness of the players. (Ambati) Rayudu is someone who can bat really well in the middle order but unfortunately, he couldn’t clear the fitness test. I am pretty sure that going forward if he passes the fitness test he could also be a candidate.

A lot of slots are open and the good thing about that is the bench strength that we have in a – Rayudu, Manish Pandey or Ajinkya Rahane. There are enough spots for each eventuality that we might face leading into the World Cup,” Bangar stated.

For all the latest cricket news and other updates follow CricTracker.