India tour of Australia2019: 3 Things we learned from the 3rd ODI

#1 Dhoni at No.4 might suit the combination better

Dhoni controlled the game after coming out at No.4 to bat

For the decider, India decided to omit Ambati Rayudu in favor of Jadhav. Thus, the No.4 spot was again up for grabs. When India was reduced to 59-2, there was immense pressure on the batsman walking in but fortunately for the Indians, the man who came in was as adroit as any.

Dhoni paced his innings to perfection and even though he took in excess of 70 balls to reach fifty, he was able to make it up towards the end with some precise hitting.

The biggest advantage of having Dhoni at No.4 is that the Indian team can then play both Dinesh Karthik and Jadhav.

While the former excelled in finishing the game at Adelaide, the latter saw the team through at Melbourne and also provided a fail-safe in the bowling department. Thus, the inclusion of Jadhav gives a better balance to this Indian side.

Moreover, at No.4, Dhoni gets the required time for getting his eye in as he would invariably end up batting with one of Dhawan, Kohli or Rohit. Additionally, the cushion of having Jadhav and Karthik would help MS to take the game deep and do what he does the best.

At the MCG, Dhoni again proved that he is indeed the master of the calculated chase. And if he keeps batting at No.4, he might get more opportunities to build his innings and stay till the end.

India has been looking for a solution to their No.4 conundrum for years now but to no avail. Yet, it seems that the best answer might just have been present within the team all along.