Shreyas Iyer vs Ruturaj Gaikwad: Analyzing the fairness of India’s ODI No. 4 decision

Shreyas Iyer vs Ruturaj Gaikwad for ODI No. 4 debate. [Source - @bcci/x]

India’s ODI squad for the New Zealand series has been announced, with Shreyas Iyer back in the team after missing the South Africa home series due to a severe abdominal injury sustained in Australia. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who impressed with a century against South Africa, in just his second innings at No. 4, misses out. With Iyer fully fit and expected to reclaim the No. 4 spot, as well as being named vice-captain, the selection has sparked debate.

Is it fair to drop an in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad for a returning Shreyas Iyer?

Ruturaj Gaikwad: Opportunity taken, but sample size matters

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s case for No.4 in ODIs is built on promise and adaptability. Primarily a top-order batter, his List A career has been almost entirely defined by opening the innings. In fact, his first-ever List A innings at No.4 came only recently.

It was during the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi when Ruturaj Gaikwad batted at No. 4 for the first time in his 87 innings long List A career. Until then, he had opened the innings almost every time, except on five occasions when he batted at No.3.

Despite this, Gaikwad adapted quickly, scoring a century at No. 4 in the second ODI and continuing in the middle order during the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he played five of six matches at No. 4 and scored another hundred against Uttarakhand.

Undoubtedly, Gaikwad’s numbers are improving, and his technique suggests he can succeed in the role long-term. However, at the international level, two or three strong performances cannot yet outweigh years of proven success by a specialist middle-order batter like Shreyas Iyer.

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Shreyas Iyer: The man who fixed India’s ODI No. 4 woes

India struggled for years to find stability at No.4 batting position in ODIs. That problem was effectively solved in 2019 with the arrival of Shreyas Iyer. Since then, Iyer has not only owned the position but elevated it into a strength. His success has come not just in bilateral series, but on the biggest stages.

• Shreyas Iyer’s 2023 World Cup performance stands as a defining chapter. 
• He became the first middle-order batter in history, later joined by Daryl Mitchell, to score over 500 runs in a single ODI World Cup campaign, underlining his value in big occasions.

Table - Most runs by a middle-order batter in a single ODI World Cup campaign.

• His semi-final century at the Wankhede Stadium helped India reach a ODI World Cup final for the first time since 2011. 
• Conversely, his early dismissal in the final in Ahmedabad proved decisive, turning momentum towards Australia, from where India’s batting never recovered.
• Fast forward to 2025, Shreyas Iyer finished as India’s highest run-scorer in the Champions Trophy, playing a key role in India’s first ICC ODI title in 12 years. 

These performances reinforce why, when fit, Shreyas Iyer remains the automatic choice at No. 4 for India in ODI cricket.

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Context through history: India’s No. 4 since the 2011 World Cup

A historical look at India’s ODI middle order since the 2011 World Cup highlights the lack of long-term stability at No. 4, until Shreyas Iyer arrived.

Table - India's No. 4 ODI batters from 2011 World Cup to 2019 World Cup

• The table compares all Indian batters who batted at No. 4 before Shreyas Iyer’s arrival after the 2019 World Cup.
• The data shows India had no long-term solution at No. 4 until Shreyas Iyer, who now has 1,893 ODI runs at No. 4 position, averaging 51.6 with a strike rate of 98.23.
• No player, except Virat Kohli, played more than 25 innings at No. 4 in ODIs for India between 2011 World Cup and 2019 World Cup.
• 6 of the 4 batters who featured at No. 4 had a strike rate below 90, highlighting lack of impact.

Conclusion: Fairness lies in proven impact

While Ruturaj Gaikwad has shown encouraging signs and deserves future opportunities, selection fairness at the international level is backed by impact, experience, and reliability.

Shreyas Iyer has delivered all three over multiple ICC tournaments and pressure situations. His return as India’s primary No. 4 batter for the New Zealand ODIs is not only fair, but logical. For Gaikwad, patience may be unfortunate, but it is often the price of competing in a strong, settled ODI side.

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