Pune:
Unwilling to tinker with the line-up in view of next month’s World Twenty20, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said the team will prefer Suresh Raina in the No.4 slot in the series against Sri Lanka even though vice-captain Virat Kohli’s absence has opened the No.3 position.
“It did cross our minds (to use Raina at no. 3) but it will be slightly better if he (Raina) bats at the position in which he will most likely bat in the World T20,” Dhoni said at the before the first game of the three-match T20 series today.
“We need to give him that exposure as we are a team, which doesn’t play many T20s. It’s usually one-game a series. This (three-game) series gives us the opportunity to expose him to No.4 slot for a considerable period of time. It will be more appropriate to keep him at No.4 so that he gets adjusted rather than use him at one drop and ask someone else to bat at 4,” Dhoni explained elaborately at the MCA International stadium.
Incidentally the UP batsman, a top performer in the T20 format in the IPL, will be playing his 50th T20 International game tomorrow, the second from the country after his skipper, to achieve the landmark.
At No 3, Raina has scored more runs (471 with a hundred 101 against South Africa at Gros Islet, West Indies - to boot) in 15 games compared to No 4 position, where he has notched up 238 runs.
Looking ahead to the series, Dhoni said the Indian team has the chance to get into the groove for the more important World T20 championships through this series and the Asia Cup to follow later this month in Bangladesh.
“It’s only the T20 format (that India will be playing for a while). After this series there is the Asia Cup, some warm-up games and the World T20. It has given us time to get into the groove as in different formats the requirements are different.
“I feel it will give us time to adjust. The last three games in Australia (that India won for a 3-0 sweep) will also help us. And the conditions here will be exactly what we will get in the ICC World T20,” Dhoni added.
