THE FOUR CONTENDERS
Going into the last ODI series before the upcoming World Cup against Australia, India skipper Virat Kohli had said that Indian players’ performance in the IPL wouldn’t have any bearing with selection in the squad for the showpiece event. But with none of the batsmen managing to secure the No.4 slot post the five ODIs against the Aussies, the players’ performance in the IPL will have a bearing on the minds of the selectors when they pick the squad for the World Cup mid-April.
The four primary contenders for the No.4 slot are Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. And it all now boils down to a consistent showing in the first half of the cash-rich T20 league. A good run here and one of these four will be rewarded with a ticket to England.
A senior BCCI official said that recent performances have meant that the first month of the 12th edition of the IPL, which begins on March 23, will have to be looked into when the selectors pick the squad for the World Cup.
While Rayudu and Rahul haven’t spoken about the vacant slot, former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has advocated Rayudu’s case. “Rayudu is my man. I can’t believe India is even questioning that. For so long, he has been so good. I don’t know why they are questioning, maybe because you need to speak about something before the World Cup. I don’t see Rahul taking that slot as much as I admire him. His time will come. And if anything he is more of a stand-by opener for me as opposed to the number four slot,” he said.
But Delhi Capitals advisor Sourav Ganguly and coach Ricky Ponting believe that Pant could be the answer to India’s woes at number four.
“Look at how Pant played in the last IPL. In ODIs, Pant is coming in and going out because MS Dhoni is there and that doesn’t help. Pant is your future. For the next 10 years you will see a lot of him. He will be a huge asset for the Indian team,” Ganguly said. Echoing the sentiments, Ponting added: “I would be picking him in the Indian team as the batsman for No.4 as he can win you the game with his talent. We want him to focus on IPL because if the boys do well they will get a call for the World Cup.”
Ganguly said the IPL will decide the No.4 slot. “Many choices are there but I think the IPL will in a way decide who will get that position. I had said (Cheteshwar) Pujara because he has been in good form. I saw (Rahul) Dravid do the role when I was captain. If you don’t have an option you can try him. Pant or (Ambati) Rayudu could be an option. We can give our opinion, but somewhere I feel Kohli knows who it should be.”