The mid-level conundrum has long plagued India’s limited cricket game. While some talented options have been found, it remains a concern as the Blues have already begun preparations for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
His thoughts were also shared by former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina, himself an intermediate batsman, who is backing not one but five batsmen to tackle the issue.
Speaking at the Indian Express’ Idea Exchange, Raina admitted that the issue has plagued India since the 2015 World Cup and that management should identify “players who can play shrewdly in the middle”.
“It’s been a problem for four or five years since the 2015 World Cup or 2017-18. We have to identify players who can play shrewdly in the middle sequence. Those who are playing need to have the opportunity to finish games where they need to be for the team. match,” he said.
Raina then backed up promising 24-year-old Rishabh Pant along with Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav to tackle the issue. He also named Shubman Gill and then picked a little-known domestic cricketer in Rinku Singh for the role.
“I think Rishabh Pant can play this role very well. Shreyas Iyer is another player who can do that. So is Suryakumar Yadav. Somewhere the selectors and coaches need to show their trust in them. I believe They will prove themselves. Those four or five players, plus Shubman Gill is one of the players who can play well in the mid lane. Then there’s Rinku Singh from UP who is doing well in domestic cricket.”
Rinku pulled by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 5.5 lakh in IPL mega auction. He enjoyed a fine outing in the last Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, amassing 187 points in five races. The middle batsman also put up an impressive showing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with the 24-year-old stacking up a ton and four and a half centuries in the six innings he batted.
Raina then offers some advice on how to tackle the mid-level challenges of ODI cricket.
“The mid-level challenge is to play according to the situation. There are two new balls now. The pitch is on. So it’s not just about playing new balls. You have to rotate strikes. The problem is the penalties that are played in the middle. That shouldn’t happen. You Must rotate strikes and trust partners and choose bowlers as targets and attack and determine who to attack. Understanding with non strikers, as we say in cricket language, has to get better. The three and four Things are important to being a good intermediate hitter,” he explained.
Complete News Source : Hindustan Times
