Mahendra Baahubali

CHENNAI: It was the tour of Bangladesh in 2015. Having struggled with middle-order combinations and the No 4 slot in particular in the World Cup, Mahendra Singh Dhoni tried out himself in that position in the ODI series. Promoting himself up the order for the last two games, the then captain made 47 and 69 as India lost the series 1-2.

On the countdown to another World Cup, Dhoni seems to have completed a small full circle in a career that has just completed 14 years. 

After the team tried out a number of players without success in a position that demands a combination of holding and attacking game, it’s back to the 37-year-old. Going by his contribution in the decider in Melbourne on Friday, it has to be said the move has clicked. And given that he was the most consistent of middle-order batsmen in the last three games, it’s expected that he would be persisted with in that position as India enter the last lap in the run-up to the big one.

This adds to the legend of Dhoni. Hard-hitting wicketkeeper capable of batting in the top order, to captain and finisher, and as last ray of hope back in a specialist batsman’s position he never occupied regularly, this late twist was difficult to foresee in a set-up which was expected to be teeming with talent. With Ajinkya Rahane not in the scheme of things and all No 4 experiments deemed failures, it will mark a remarkable turnaround if the veteran muscles his way to first choice for this role in a World Cup to be played in England.

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Dhoni didn’t rely much on power in Australia though. It was more of a batsman drawing from experience and thinking on his feet rather than good movement of them and a display of authority. In Melbourne, he mistimed, played and missed and interspersed those with a few shots of barely believable timing. There was an occasion when despite not getting to the pitch after stepping out to Marcus Stoinis, he powered it past mid-on for four. It was an unusual mix. After the dropped catch first ball, it remained a cat-and-mouse game between him and the bowlers and one reason he won was he ran like a hare to extract optimum whenever he got the ball past the fielders.

There will be better attacks and at two down, one also has to be prepared to come in early. Will India think of someone else if the situation so demands is not clear yet. Teams with specialist batsmen at No 4 don’t face this question, but under prevailing circumstances this thought must cross the Indian think tank. 

If they go for a back-up who has to be pressed into service in case two wickets fall early, should he be pushed down the order if the No 4 has to come in at the midway stage?

Former wicketkeeper and TV expert Deep Dasgupta prescribes a formula with Dhoni as stabiliser. “With the top three settled, the rest has to be situation specific. If you are 40 for two after 15 overs, Dhoni goes in. If it’s two down after 25 overs, the other guys can come in. Looking ahead, I see Dhoni as the fulcrum of this line-up, with others playing around him. It’s more of an anchor kind of a role, where he plans the chase. If he does that, there are others to accelerate in the late overs.”

In the immediate context, the team has no other choice. But Dhoni’s success also raises questions other than answering a few at the same time. What does it say of a system which looks for a No 4 for four years and after not giving anyone a proper, long run goes back to a player approaching retirement who is not exactly a tested bet in that slot? Hailing the former captain’s ability to redefine himself, the management should also acknowledge that amid other achievements, this is an area where its programme to develop resources has failed.