Five Indian Cricketers who were Made for No. 4 in ODI Format
In the ODI format, the Indian cricket team is known for having a strong top order and relies a lot on the top 3. But, few may know that players who batted at position 4 had one of the important jobs of stabilizing the team during collapses and also played crucial roles in carrying forward the great starts given by the top-order batsmen.
There was a phase where India desperately looked for a reliable number 4 batsman, fortunately, team India never struggled too long to fill the number 4 slot in any of the generations. Each one of them who contributed a crucial role at 4, has their respective potential and skills that make them different from the rest. Depending on the generation they played in, their impact on Indian cricket has been immense and has contributed significantly to Indian cricket’s progress.
Have a look at the Batsmen who Stood Strong at Position 4 for the Indian Cricket Team in ODIs
Dilip Vengsarkar (1976 – 1992)
One of the most important batters of the 90s era. Dilip Vengsarkarsolidified India’s middle order and kept scoring runs for India. His 2138 runs at an average of 37.5 and a strike rate of nearly 70 show his capabilities with the bat. In an era dominated by Calypso-style bowlers, an average of nearly 38 and a strike rate of 70 testify to how good a player he was. Not only this, he played a key role in India’s glory in the 1983 World Cup. From 1983 to 1990, Vengsarkar’s charismatic mix of aggression and defense held the fortress for India in the middle order.
Mohammad Azharuddin (1984 – 2000)
The stylish, classy, and dynamic player from Hyderabad earned the reputation of being one of the most dependable players in the middle order. He had an equally glorious career in both formats of the game. But in the ODI format, his 4605 runs in 137 innings with an average of 40.39 and a strike rate of 77.57 at number 4 signify his greatness. He also contributed to the Indian cricket team as a leader for some time. He served India as number 4 between the years 1985 to 2000.
Yuvraj Singh (2000 – 2017)
A talented left-hand all-rounder who gave immense joy and pride to India. Yuvraj Singh was as fiery as a fireball and as lethal as a sharpened axe on his day. A brilliant all-rounder and a gun fielder. Yuvraj had all the skills that are required to succeed at the international level. Ever since his debut, he was phenomenal as a player and held India’s middle order till the 2011 World Cup. In 108 innings, Yuvi scored 3415 at an average of 35.20 and a strike rate of almost 90. Along with Dhoni, he won India numerous matches and kept India’s hopes alive at number 4 from 2000 onwards.
Ambati Rayudu (2013 – 2019)
Rayudu could be considered one of the unluckiest cricketers to play the game. With the skills and talent he had, he could have witnessed greatness. Unfortunately, his controversial career never took off to the next level. In Ambati Rayudu, India found a noticeable replacement for Yuvraj Singh who could do the job for India at number 4. From 2013 onwards not regularly but, he represented India in 24 innings at number 4, scoring 750 runs at a 41.66 average and a 78.20 strike rate. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a regular run in the team and eventually lost his place after 2019.
Shreyas Iyer (2017 – At Present)
Iyer has been a trusted middle-order batsman for India for a while. At number 4, he has scored almost 1500 runs at an average of 51.72 and a strike rate of 103 in just 35 innings. With scoring over 500 runs and winning the Player of the Match award in the semi-final, Shreyas Iyer was one of the reasons behind India’s outstanding run in the ODI World Cup 2023 campaign. He has been sensational ever since getting his position fixed and is likely to serve India for a longer time in the coming future.
These 5 players strengthened India’s middle order at number 4 and allowed the team to bat accordingly. Each had their contribution and will be valued highly in Indian cricket history.
