Sanjay Manjrekar Offers Solution to Team India's Middle-Order Woes

Former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has come up with a solution to Team India’s middle-order woes. Manjrekar believes that skipper Virat Kohli should push himself down to the troublesome position of number four. The former cricketer believes Kohli should back KL Rahul to bat one down as it doesn’t make any sense to push him down the order.

Manjrekar has one more candidate who can be the answer to India’s number four place headaches in the form of Shreyas Iyer.

Meanwhile, India’s middle-order, as well as the lower order has struggled to produce the runs of late. Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and especially Kohli has done the bulk of the scoring.

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India’s middle order is their Achilles Heel:

“I have a very simple alternative for number four if India wants to find a long-term quality number four batsman, there are just two options I feel – one is the captain himself, who could be brilliant and so KL Rahul comes in as a quality batsman at number three. I don’t see Rahul as a number four, five six,” Sanjay said while talking to ESPN Cricinfo.

Virat Kohli can turn his head towards Shreyas Iyer, Sanjay Manjrekar

Furthermore, Manjrekar believes that Shreyas Iyer can be the answer to stop the musical chair game of the number four spot.

Cricketer-turned-commentator Manjrekar went on to add that Iyer has the game which is well suited for the position.

“The other guy that India could explore as a number four is Shreyas Iyer. I have seen enough of him to know. A number four batsman needs to have all the gears, and most importantly is picking up the ones and the twos and that is where Iyer has the game and if he manages to survive into the last 10 overs he is ought to have the big game which Iyer has,” Manjrekar stated.

KL to open with Dhawan, Rohit at four.

Manjrekar also gave a suggestion which India might not try. The former right-handed batsman said for team’s success Rohit can bat at number four position like he does for the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians (MI).

Consequently, KL Rahul can open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan, according to Sanjay Manjrekar.

“There is another slightly out-of-the-box alternative – Rohit Sharma bats down the order for Mumbai Indians, so can he be the number four of India as well and have KL Rahul open with Shikhar Dhawan. It’s not about how an individual is feeling about the situation, it has to be about the team. And the team is looking for a number four then they should find the best possible option,” he said.