The other number 'fours' of Indian cricket

Sourav Ganguly (20 innings, 1188 runs @ 66.00, 3 centuries, 4 fifties) – One of the biggest ifs of Indian cricket has been the performance of Sourav Ganguly in Test matches. For someone of his ability and a batting average of 41.02 in ODIs, it is hard to imagine that he finished with an average of 42.17 in Test cricket. Ganguly started his career with that sublime 131 at Lords from Number 3 but was soon shunted down the order for the more conservative Rahul Dravid. He spent the rest of his career at Numbers 5 and 6. Lacking the reserves of patience which Laxman had and also the ability to call on a wicketkeeper who could bat for the most of his career, Ganguly ended with a record that, though being impressive, could have been far better.

His unfettered performances at Number 4 seem to agree to the fact. With an average of 66.00, Ganguly has outscored Laxman, Dravid and even the Little Master himself albeit considering a short span of twenty innings. When you put this figure in perspective with his career average, the difference is even more striking. His first knock at this slot was facilitated by that ever-nightwatchman Anil Kumble while his second one was a result of India experimenting with Nayan Mongia as an opener. Mongia would stay on as an opener for some more time at Ganguly took full advantage of that a year later when he thrashed the Sri Lankan bowling attack around at home with a partnership of 256 with Tendulkar en route to his then highest score of 173.

He would get a chance to bat at this position again about a year later against New Zealand in New Zealand. He scored a gritty 48 in the second innings of the second Test at Wellington but a sparkling 113 from Tendulkar meant that he would usurp that position for the third Test in Wellington. It was Ganguly though who was called on to chase 415 in the fourth innings and he went about in proper ODI fashion creaming 101 off 111 balls along with Rahul Dravid as the duo added 196 in 37.2 overs before the match was called off.

The next time he afforded himself in this opportunity was in the aforementioned series against Sri Lanka in 2001. With Tendulkar out due to injury and Kaif failing at Number 3, Ganguly sent Dravid up the order and promoted himself to Number 4. The result brought immediate results as he scored a stroke-filled unbeaten 98 and combined with Dravid to bring India back into the series with a victory in Kandy after the defeat in the first Test match at Galle. Second time round, the strategy did not work as Ganguly made 1 and 30 as India crashed to an innings defeat at Colombo.

Here after Ganguly made infrequent appearances at Number 4 – the most notable being his second innings 73 in a defeat at Melbourne in 2003. It was not until his comeback that he was given an opportunity to make a mark in this position.

After his fighting 51 in the first innings at Johannesburg paved the way for Sreesanth’s heroics in a historic victory, Ganguly was given a chance to bat at Number 4 in Cape Town as India juggled around their batting order in the second innings in an effort to accelerate the scoring. He had made 66 off 75 balls in India’s first innings score of 414 but the second time round he walked in with the score reading 6 for 2 and India only 47 in front. His partnership with Dravid took India to 90 before they again nosedived to 169 and let the South Africans into the game in the process.

His best though was reserved for the Pakistan series at home later that year. Ganguly had already scored a century on his home ground of Kolkata in India’s mammoth first innings score of 616 and he was called on to bat at Number 4 in the second innings as India made a bid to set up a good score and quickly enough. His response was a 58 ball 46. The next Test match at Bangalore saw him replacing the injured Tendulkar at Number 4. In the form of his life, Ganguly bonded with his long-time protégé Yuvraj Singh and powered India on to 626 after they had been 61 for 4 on the first morning. In the process, he eclipsed his aforementioned highest score of 173 and registered his sole Test match double century. He wasn’t clearly done as he returned to score 91 in the second innings as India marched towards a declaration. Pakistan escaped a Kumble onslaught by the skin of their teeth but Ganguly had redeemed himself after his comeback.

Thereafter, he batted twice at Number 4 – once against Sri Lanka to shield Tendulkar against the threat of Mendis and the last time against Australia at home again in a second innings effort to up the scoring rate. Which is pretty much remarkable, as considering Tendulkar’s voluminous record in ODIs, he should have been expected to set the targets more often than he should. At any other time and for any other team, Ganguly would have played more consistently at Number 4 and it would have been interesting to take a look at how he performed.