Virat Kohli believes that the core team for the 50-over World Cup is more or less sorted, barring No.4 slot and thinks that Ajinkya Rahane is a strong candidate for the position considering the conditions in England. Ahead of the 1st ODI in Durban, the Indian team had an optional practice session on Wednesday, with Kohli and pace bowlers taking a day off.
“We have explored many options in the last few months. We don’t have too many series and too much time left before the World Cup, so we want to explore all the options before the World Cup,” Kohli told.
“I had said earlier that Ajinkya Rahane would be looked at as a third opener but that situation can change because he has batted at No. 4 in a World Cup (in 2015) before. These conditions are such that you get to play fast bowling throughout the innings so he becomes a strong candidate for No. 4.
“Although the lower middle order is more or less sorted, the middle order is something we are still looking at. The combination is working well for us with Hardik Pandya, Kedar Jadhav and MS Dhoni rotating and batting together.
“No. 4 is something we have experimented with in the last couple of series. That is the only spot I can see that needs to be solidified otherwise the team looks pretty balanced, he added.
