MS Dhoni believes India have a stable top order that could last them through the 2017 Champions Trophy and into the 2019 World Cup, though he did not mention if he considered himself among the batting core that would last the next four years.
“If you look at the top four or five batsmen, it seems that if they are fit and are in decently good form they are the ones who may go into the next World Cup or the Champions Trophy,” Dhoni said.
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have accumulated 1932 runs from 41 innings – the second-best among openers in the last five years, and their average of 48.30 is the highest among the top 10. The last time Virat Kohli failed to amass 1000 runs in a calendar year was in 2010 – when he missed out by five runs. Ajinkya Rahane might need to work on rotation of strike but he remains a sturdy option in the middle order, while Suresh Raina’s utility as a limited-overs player is more than handy.
Dhoni does not often bat in the top five – only nine times has he come in that early since his match-winning 91 not out in the 2011 World Cup final. The fragility of India’s lower order has played a part in that, and Dhoni singled out the importance of the No.7 to make runs, since that player ends up a certainty in the XI for his bowling.
“Maybe we need to improve the bottom three. No.s 5,6 and 7 – and particularly No. 7 – because they are very crucial. The reason being the No 7 batsman for you, 90% of the time, has to bowl you 10 overs. So we are still looking.
“Jadeja has done a decent job. Last one-and-a-half years, I don’t think our bottom order has got a lot of opportunity to bat, especially in the subcontinent. The top order has done a remarkable job because of which the Nos. 5,6 and 7 have not had many opportunities to bat.
“So it becomes a bit difficult, the reason being, if somebody is batting at No. 7, if he goes in one game where we are 5 or 6 down and he has to score that 50-60 runs. You get an opportunity like that maybe in 10-15 games. The duration between the two games is very long. So I feel where we have to get a few good players who are competing for that No 6-7 slot, but definitely they have to bowl also. If you are playing with five bowlers, the No.7 has to bowl 10 overs.”
The immediate goal, however, is winning the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh. Dhoni said the “best XI” would be put on the park when asked about chances of experimentation. Would there be any changes to his own routine then, considering he retired from Test cricket last year?
“No, it will be quite the same because what’s important is for the team to win,” Dhoni said. “And we will see what kind of roles and responsibilities suit the individuals playing in the XI and accordingly we will decide. Being adaptive and constantly looking to improve is something that’s important at the international level.
“It’s not about me. What the team demands of me and what the situation is dictates how I go in and bat. So it will still be the same. Also it depends on where I am batting. If I am batting at 5 or 6, the demands are very different compared to if I am batting at 3 or 4.”