5 Things India need to do to win ODI series in England

#3 Bat Dhoni higher up the order

Before the IPL started, there were a lot of questions being raised about Dhoni’s hitting ability. 2 months later, he had silenced all those critics. While it is a universally accepted fact that Dhoni is not the hitter he was a few years back, not many in the Indian team possess his ability to assess the game situation and play accordingly. As the years have gone by, ‘Dhoni- the Hitter’ has been replaced by ‘Dhoni, the Accumulator’.

Dhoni, batting up the order gives the team a lot of options. He is still one of India’s best players of spin and can read variations off the bowler’s hand. He also possesses the uncanny knack of knowing when to take the calculated risk. With him batting up the order, England will most probably use its best bowlers to get rid of him early. This will open the door for players like Hardik Pandya to go on his famed hitting spree in the death-overs.

Dhoni has a mind-boggling average at No.4 and No.5. With the World Cup just around the corner, this option needs to be explored, sooner rather than later. If this tactic comes off, India can boast of a middle order comprising of Kohli, Dhoni, and Rahul, which will surely spell trouble for even the most skillful of bowling attacks.