The middle order could make or break India’s World Cup campaign

Going into the World Cup campaign, India’s middle order batting screams of uncertainty and lack of security.

In just a little over 50 days, India’s home World Cup campaign will get underway with a fixture against five-time world champions Australia in Chennai. The mood surrounding the Indian national cricket team heading into the World Cup is one of pessimism and uncertainty.

Unlike previous editions when the Indian team had some semblance of a core and starting XI look obvious on paper from months ago leading up to the World Cup, this time around, it isn’t as obvious as one would prefer.

While there are several concerns that need proper addressing going forward, the middle order is one factor that could potentially make or break India’s World Cup campaign.

Injuries to key players

On Monday, a video that involved three players - KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant - at the KSCA B ground in Bengaluru went viral. The first two were seen batting in the middle while the clip was recorded and shared by the latter on his Instagram.

Up until last year, all three players were integral in the Indian middle order and played between the number 4 and number 6 role with solidity, composure, and clarity. However, Pant has been out of action since his horrific car accident earlier this year while KL Rahul had thigh surgery after IPL and Shreyas Iyer missed IPL due to a back injury.

Recovery is still a long way ahead for Pant but while Rahul and Iyer are edging closer to making their comebacks, there is no clarity on when they will be available for selection for the national side. While the latest reports suggest that they are currently preparing with the upcoming Asia Cup (which begins on August 30) in mind.

Even though questions regarding his form and temperament rage on in the shortest format, KL Rahul is an asset in the middle order for the Indian ODI side. In fact, since 2020, he is the only batter who has put up solid numbers during this phase of the innings. He averages 95.67 in the middle overs and 57.75 overall.

Meanwhile, there’s also clamour regarding the number 4 slot once again. Following the continuous experimentation at the 2019 World Cup, the struggles were thought to be behind us but they have returned once again following injuries to Pant and Iyer.

Shreyas Iyer is the second highest run-scorer in the middle order for India since 2020 (following KL Rahul). The right-hander had that number 4 position locked for himself and he has scored 783 runs in 23 matches at a solid average of 41.21.

Rishabh Pant, the team’s primary wicket-keeper and someone who also operated between 4-6, also scored at an average of 45.54. He was also the best accelerator in the middle overs and has the highest strike rate of 111.58 among Indian players.

Their replacements haven’t been convincing

Over the course of the last nine ODI games, India have tried six different batters at the number 4 role and have struggled to find a settled player for either the number 4 slot or even the number 5 for that matter.

Because of the magic he is capable of exerting in T20I cricket, Suryakumar Yadav is the only batter who has received double digit opportunities in this format since 2020 besides the usual suspects. Despite the long rope he has gotten, he has failed to make it count and he averages a dismal 22.90 with a strike rate just over 100. As a result, the team management has moved away from the idea of him anchoring the boring middle overs and is instead looking at him as a finisher even lower down the order.

Neither Sanju Samson nor Ishan Kishan have managed to make a startling impression either and both of them along with Axar Patel are more suited to middle-order batting in T20Is rather than 50 overs.

At this point, India are hoping against hope that both KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are able to recover in time for the grand spectacle that gets underway in October. Although it will be interesting to see whether both of them are able to recreate their form pre-injury, India would much rather prefer to have that doubt than the sheer lottery of who will play the roles between number 4 and 6.