Batting orders are very overrated in ODIs: Gautam Gambhir

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has stated that batting orders are very overrated when it comes to the one-day format. Speaking at the post-series press conference after India’s 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa, Gambhir made some interesting comments when asked about constant shuffling in the batting order.

“I think in a one-day format, you should know the template that you want to play with. I've always believed that in white-ball cricket, batting orders are very overrated, except the opening combination,” Gambhir said at the post-series press conference.

“In Test cricket, obviously, you've got to have a fixed batting order, but it (batting order) is very, very overrated (in white ball formats),” he added.

Interestingly, Washington Sundar was slotted to bat at No.5 in the first ODI in Ranchi. However, he was later demoted to the lower order in the second ODI in Raipur. Later in the third and final ODI, he was benched with Tilak Varma replacing him in the XI.

“See, you’re talking about someone who's got 100 at Manchester, a 50 at Oval who averages, what, 40-plus in Tests. Sometimes, you've got to look at balance as well. I know it's tough on someone like Washi, but then I think he's done an incredible job, batting at No. 3, No.5, No. 8,” he observed.

“That's the kind of character he is, and that's the kind of character we want in that dressing room, who are willing to do everything for the team with a smile on his face, which me as a batter knows how tough it is,” he noted.

“I'm sure he's going to continue doing that and we're going to keep developing him because he's got a massive future ahead for Indian cricket,” he stated.

India will next take on South Africa in the five-match T20I series, starting on Tuesday, December 9, in Cuttack.

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