Who is best suited for No. 3?

Dhoni saddled with the conundrum of shuffling of Rahane and Kohli

The M.S. Dhoni-led Indian team has left a riddle to solve after the Kanpur one-day international: Who among the Men in Blue is suited best for the No. 3 slot in the batting order?

Prior to the first ODI at the Green Park here, Dhoni reignited the debate on Ajinkya Rahane’s place in the limited overs’ side. “Sometimes even number four is quite low for him (Rahane). I think he is somebody who should bat up the order. Opening is a slot that fits him really well,” Dhoni had said, bolstering the doubt about the Mumbaikar’s place in the playing XI.

However, what Dhoni did not say was even more important. Analysed further, it may provide a more interesting perspective to whole debate.

Since Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are doing well as openers, none other than Test captain Virat Kohli has to relinquish his favourite slot in one-dayers to accommodated Rahane in the top three. That is what happened at the Green Park when Dhoni disclosed the playing XI to leave everyone agape.

When India, chasing as big a target as 304, lost Rahane’s wicket in the 34th over, the run rate slowed down a bit. “I felt around 35-40 overs we failed to get to move on. That would have made things easier,” noted Dhoni. Kohli got out in the last ball of the 40th over after contributing 11 runs off 18 deliveries.

Extended lean patch

Kohli’s lean patch in the one-dayers has extended longer than expected.

The 26-year-old, with 22 centuries in 162 matches, has 46 against South Africa in the World Cup as his highest score in the last 11 innings spread across seven venues in Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh and India. His last eye-catching knock was his hundred against Pakistan in the World Cup.

Notwithstanding his present struggle, Kohli has always done his best at the No. 3 position, making that slot his own by coming in to bat one-down in 105 matches. In comparison, he has batted at No. 4 only 39 times.

Now, the most pertinent question is -- Should Kohli be asked to go down a place to make way for Rahane on a regular basis? And, more importantly, can India afford to destabilise two of its most reliable batsmen?

During the Bangladesh tour, Dhoni, promoting himself to bat at No. 4, had found it difficult to fit Rahane into the playing XI. Within a few months, the situation seems to have changed again in search of the right balance.