Top-order batsmen must ease pressure on the middle order

Sharma must return to the ODI set-up. (He suffered a hamstring strain during Delhi’s Ranji tie). It is important to accept that he will be coming in as an out-and-out fast bowler. With so much still in favour of batsmen, it is essential to have a bowler on whom you can depend for all 10 overs.

Ishant has had his ups and downs in ODIs, but he is still young and far from finished in the format. His height and ability to extract bounce will bring variety to the bowling unit.

Similarly, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli are pivotal at the top of the batting order. If you are an optimist like I am, you will take heart from the fact that apart from one spectacular wobble, India’s batting has been more than adequate despite the lack of a meaningful contribution from either batsman. Both will be keen to make amends.

A key aspect to batting is how much pressure the top order handles. Expecting your No 6 and No 7 to win the game time after time isn’t the way forward. Early wickets will mean the mindset of the middle order becomes more survival; that is never ideal when the need is for quick runs.

There has been debate over where Kohli should bat. While he hasn’t flourished at No 4, Ajinkya Rahane has done well at No 3. Kohli hasn’t made a 50 since his hundred in the World Cup opener against Pakistan in February. I don’t think he will be fussed about the batting order, given that as captain he has advocated a flexibility in Tests. The decision is best left to the captain. After all, it is the batsmen — not the batting order — who score runs.

The writer is a former India pacer

HAWKEYE | CHIVACH SPORTS