Former India opener and national coach Anshuman Gaekwad agrees that the No 3 position is the most important post in any batting order. “He has to be your best batsman. A perfect number three has to have a sound technique, temperament and also should be able to strike a balance between the top-order and the middle order,” he says. “In this Indian team, it has to be Dravid and I can’t understand the logic behind sending Pathan repeatedly in that position, the result of which is there for everyone to see,” he says.

Even West Indian great Michael Holding wants the best at No 3 to lay “the pitch for the rest”. “The best batsman of the team must take the one-drop position for it is pivotal and prepares the pitch for the rest. If your best man is lower in the order, the ones preceding him can tend to relax. It even works if the best man was to fail at the number three spot. The ones who follow him would then respond to the responsibility,” he says on his official website.

Yashpal Sharma, former middle order batsman and ex-national selector, says you need to send in hitters at No 3 if the situation demands it. Otherwise, he says, it has to be your best batsman. “You play according to the situation. It’s okay to send in a pinch-hitter when you are chasing a big total, but when you are batting first, you should send in the best batsman. If early wickets have fallen, he should try and see off the new ball and be able to remain safe when the bowlers are fresh,” he says. “To me it’s most important that the No 3 should never allow the bowlers to get on top, he should be a technician and be able to graft his runs and take minimum risk. In this Indian team, I can see no one better than Dravid for that,” adds Sharma.

... contd.