The One-Day Side Has A Middle-Order Problem, And The Numbers Have Been Telling Us For A Year

TL;DR

• India has cycled through an excessive number of players at the number four position over the last twenty ODIs.
• While squad selection remains consistent, constant shuffling in the batting order suggests a structural issue rather than a lack of talent.
• High-scoring opening partnerships from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill often leave the middle order facing high run rates during difficult transitions.

I maintain a meticulous spreadsheet. This might surprise those who do not know my habits, but this document serves as the foundation for this analysis. For over a year, these figures have highlighted a glaring issue that the selectors seem to overlook. By mapping out every Indian ODI batting order since the start of 2025, a recurring pattern emerges in the numbers four, five, and six.

The Numbers, In Order

India has utilized eleven different players at number four across twenty matches. They have rotated nine players through number five and only six at number six. This list of occupants for the number four spot includes two openers, three middle-order specialists, two allrounders, a wicketkeeper, and two late replacements. This data does not describe a group of failed athletes. Instead, it shows a rotating door of players who were given opportunities but never allowed to establish any real consistency.

Shreyas Iyer holds the longest tenure at number four during this period with six innings. He averaged forty-one before being dropped, only to be recalled later without returning to his original spot. Similarly, Suryakumar Yadav occupied number five for five innings at an average of thirty-eight. His tenure there ended when he moved to four, then back to five, and eventually took a rest period.

Why The Churn Is Not A Selection Problem

There is a clear distinction between squad selection and batting order tactics. Selectors choose the personnel, while the captain and coach determine where those players bat. This is where the friction exists. To their credit, the selectors have maintained high consistency in their roster choices. Only four injury-enforced changes occurred across the last three ODI series. In contrast, the batting order at number four changed eleven times within that same timeframe. The issue lies with the organizational structure above the players rather than a lack of available talent.

What The Numbers Say About The Players Who Have Been There

I averaged the averages to find the truth behind these rotations. The eleven players who batted at number four have maintained a collective average of thirty-four in that position. The nine players who occupied number five have struggled to find a steady rhythm, mirroring the instability seen elsewhere in the middle order.

The structural blueprint creates a difficult environment for these batters. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill have opened together in seventeen of the last twenty ODIs, averaging sixty-eight runs per stand. While sixty-eight is a respectable score, it frequently leaves the number four batter arriving around the twentieth over. At this stage, the field spreads out, the ball loses its initial shine, and the required run rate spikes. The number four spot requires an aggressive approach from the very first ball, yet these players are often forced to navigate a transition where the pressure to accelerate is immediate and overwhelming.

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