India’s search for No. 4 might be over

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Rare run of fitness has Pattinson pinching himself

MUMBAI, Nov 11, (RTRS): India’s search for a limited-overs No. 4 batsman may finally be at an end after Shreyas Iyer proved his worth with a maiden Twenty20 international fifty in Sunday’s series decider against Bangladesh.

India’s struggles to fill the batting spot dominated the headlines in the lead-up to this year’s 50-over World Cup in England, where they went out in the semifinals to New Zealand.

It has been the same in the T20 format with a number of candidates fluffing their auditions in the buildup to the World Cup and Iyer was promoted to the spot for the three-match series against Bangladesh having previously batted a spot lower.

After impressive cameos in the first two matches at Delhi and Rajkot, the 24-year-old Mumbai batsman smashed 62 off just 33 balls in India’s series-clinching win at Nagpur.

“Obviously there is lot of competition currently going on in the team,” Iyer told reporters. “I personally feel that I compete with myself. I don’t want myself to be judged with anyone or when you say that this position is empty in the team.

“I am really open-minded and can bat at any number at a given point.”

With the experienced partnership of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan locked in as openers and captain and batting talisman Virat Kohli coming in at first drop, India have a top order to rival any in the game.

Iyer scored a couple of half-centuries in the 50-overs format in the West Indies and showed plenty of positive intent against Bangladesh to suggest he could be the long-term answer at the spot with the T20 World Cup in Australia less than a year away.

“It has been a really important last few series for me to set up the benchmark at the No. 4 position, which all of us are competing for at the moment,” said Iyer, who leads the Delhi franchise in the Indian Premier League T20 tournament.

“For me personally, they (team management) have given me a heads up that, ‘You’ll be there at No. 4 so just back yourself and really believe in yourself’.

“We need someone even when Kohli and Rohit get out to finish the game and bat till the end. That role is of a No. 4.”

Also:

MELBOURNE: Australia paceman James Pattinson is targeting back-to-back Tests in the upcoming series against Pakistan and New Zealand as he savours a rare run of fitness heading into the home summer.

The 29-year-old’s successful return during the Ashes in England was a feel-good story for Australian cricket and a triumph of perseverance for an outstanding bowler restricted to six Tests in the past five years.

Pattinson was relieved to head home at the end of the series without having to contemplate another long spell of rehab.

“When I got back from England I sort of didn’t know what to do because I’d usually be nursing a stress fracture or something like that,” he told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.

“So, to rock up and have four days off and bowl again, I was like, ‘What is this all about?’

“I think it’s just things like that where you pinch yourself a little bit and go: ‘This is good.’”

Seen as a potential 100-Test cricketer when he broke into the Australia team as a fiery 21-year-old, Pattinson has managed only 19 Tests in a career interrupted by frequent back problems.

He was picked for the first and third Ashes Tests in England, where Australia drew the series 2-2 to retain the urn, and is now hoping to prove to selectors he is ready to stand up to the strain of back-to-back matches.

“I have been injury-free for the most part of a year now. The body is feeling good,” he said.

“I think the next process for me, if I do get a chance in the Test arena, is to try and play more back-to-back cricket now.”

Pattinson is expected to be named in the test squad, set to be released this week, for the two-match series against Pakistan starting in Brisbane on Nov 21.

There will be fierce competition among Pattinson and pace teammates Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to be one of the three seamers likely to start at the Gabba.

Victoria paceman Pattinson will hope a few wickets against Queensland in the Sheffield Shield match in Melbourne this week can help his cause.

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