Murali Kartik and Dinesh Karthik differ over India’s batting order against New Zealand

India hosted New Zealand in the fourth ODI at Mount Maunganui on Friday, where they held a commanding 2‑0 series lead. The preceding game in Hamilton was washed out without ball, leaving two more contests in the five‑match series. After Shreyas Iyer won the toss, he chose to bowl first and named an XI that saw Ruturaj Gaikwad open the innings, backed by Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan in the middle order and Kuldeep Yadav in the bowling attack.

The choice to place Gaikwad at the top of the order has sparked debate among former cricketers. Murali Kartik raised concerns about the batting succession, suggesting that Ishan Kishan could be more effective higher up the order than number five.

Kartik argued that Ishan Kishan’s recent form indicates he could benefit from a higher batting position, while acknowledging the constraint that Virat Kohli occupies the number three spot. The former player questioned whether this arrangement fully exploits Kishan’s abilities.

“I don’t know, honestly, because I personally believe Ishan has been flying recently, so his best place is at the top. You obviously can’t move him to no.3 while Virat is already ahead. In my view, cricket sense suggests keeping Ishan where he belongs and keeping Ruturaj where you want him, rather than swapping again and muddling the order further. I hope better judgment prevails,” Kartik said on Cricbuzz.

Why does Murali Kartik question the batting order?

Gaikwad previously broke an ODI during India’s 2023 South Africa tour. His comeback to the opening slot offers a chance to secure his place at the lead after an extended spell away from that role. Ishan Kishan will take the wickets in place of KL Rahul, who has been added to India’s Test squad ahead of the first Test against New Zealand scheduled for the following week.

Dinesh Karthik presented a contrasting perspective, supporting the decision to give Gaikwad an extended opportunity at the top of the order. He stressed that Gaikwad is a natural opener deserving a chance to showcase his talent, while also acknowledging the value of Kishan batting lower in the lineup.

He believes the strategy aims to give Ruturaj the optimal opportunity, as he has proven himself as a genuine opener. Whether one prefers the batting impact of Rutu at the top or Ishan at number five, Karthik argues that Ishan’s current form suggests he will generate more stroke potential as the fifth batter. While he is not particularly troubled by the arrangement, he respects the reasoning behind the choice.

How tight has the series been so far?

Karthik also cautioned against over‑interpreting India’s series edge, noting that the matches had been tightly contested and

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