'Just a number, anyone can fit in' - Sourav Ganguly explains why India should not worry about No. 4 ODI slot

The No. 4 position in the batting order has been the missing piece of the jigsaw for India for a number of years. Captain Rohit Sharma admitted in a recent interview that India have not been able to find a solution to the No. 4 problem after Yuvraj Singh, who was prolific in that position for the 'Men in Blue'.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, however, insisted that the No. 4 slot is just like any other number in the batting order and there are enough options in the team in the form of Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, who can do the job for the two-time ODI World Cup winners. Sourav also pointed out that he and Sachin Tendulkar started batting lower down the order but found surreal success when they opened the innings.

"No. 4 is just a number, anyone can fit in. I really don't think that anybody is born as an opener or No. 3 or No. 4. I had started in the middle order in one-day cricket and was asked to open when Sachin [Tendulkar] was the captain. Sachin also started at No. 6; when he opened, he became a world-class player. So anybody can play at No. 4. There's Virat Kohli for No. 4; there's Shreyas Iyer once he does well at the Asia Cup; there's KL Rahul. India has enormous talent," the 'Prince of Kolkata' said at an event in Mumbai.

"I keep getting asked that we don't have this, we don't have that, but I think we have too much; that's the problem. I think for No. 4 what Rahul [Dravid], Rohit [Sharma] and the selectors need to do is decide that this is my No. 4 and continue with him till the World Cup. One batting slot doesn't make so much of a difference because you don't win a World Cup just with No. 4. There's no hard and fast rule that you need someone at No. 4, all you need to do is decide and let them play [at that position]."

'It's a problem about who to pick' - Sourav Ganguly heaps praise on India's bowling attack

India's bowling resources have been growing by the day with new talents being unearthed every season. Sourav Ganguly noted that Jasprit Bumrah, who returned from an injury, was bowling at good speeds against Ireland. The stylish left-handed batter also praised India's bowling attack and felt that there is a problem of plenty with the amount of talent on offer.

"It's good that [Jasprit] Bumrah is fit. I saw him bowling in Ireland and he bowled good pace. There is [Mohammed] Shami, [Mohammed] Siraj. There's [Ravindra] Jadeja, wristpsinners [Kuldeep Yadav], Hardik Pandya. Mukesh Kumar did well recently. I don't see a problem with it, it's a problem about who to pick," Sourav concluded.

Also see: India Final Squad for Asia Cup 2023