"It's a high time that Raina plays at #4 or 5 in ODIs" - Dhoni

[carnish]

Rahane at 5 after Raina The guy is a top order bat. What do you expect him to do coming in around 40th or 45th overs?

He can float .. If our 3rd Wicket goes down at around 42-45th over MSD can come in before him .. but I surely want Raina ahead of him in the batting order .. esp. while chasing. I know people will say that its better to have Raina down the order to finish the game but I trust Raina to finish the game once he is set no matter when he comes or atleast take it close for MSD to come in and do a little. But if we have guys like Rohit eating balls at top of the order with Raina left with not many balls left it usually makes him play under pressure.

[Ultimate_Game]

He can float .. If our 3rd Wicket goes down at around 42-45th over MSD can come in before him .. but I surely want Raina ahead of him in the batting order .. esp. while chasing. I know people will say that its better to have Raina down the order to finish the game but I trust Raina to finish the game once he is set no matter when he comes or atleast take it close for MSD to come in and do a little. But if we have guys like Rohit eating balls at top of the order with Raina left with not many balls left it usually makes him play under pressure.

Players like Rahane should bat in the top 3 or not be in the team. I am sorry but the chap is not exactly cut out to be a lower order batsman in shorter formats.

[GautiMaan]

^ Yup still remember that ipl game where he struggled to touch the ball against Morkel at the death

[carnish]

Players like Rahane should bat in the top 3 or not be in the team. I am sorry but the chap is not exactly cut out to be a lower order batsman in shorter formats.

Then I guess we need to find someone else but certainly not kill Raina's career just to give chances to every cricketeer like we did with Rohit. MSD even ruined his career(he was destined to be an ATG ODI Player) by playing down the order for the sake of the team and now the same is happening to RAINA just cause we don't find good finishers. I clearly don't accept this mindset as if a good batsman comes to bat earlier and is set towards the end he has a better chance to finish the game and hence believe Raina and Dhoni if they come earlier can set the pace well and take us to the finish unlike some of our other players. We miss Yuvi who usually did the same for us along with these two. Players like Jaddu and Rohit have been the reason why we have to see Raina's and Dhoni's having to take too much pressure on themselves. I cant and dont want to see Rahane doing the same to them. Kohli is better as he can also smash it at the end and doesnot throw his wicket once he gets to 100 leaving the others to do his work. No sir. I wont want Rahane to play at No.4 get his 100 and then say Raina you come hit a few sixes, get us 50 from 6 overs and I wll get meself the MOM.

[Ultimate_Game]

Then I guess we need to find someone else but certainly not kill Raina's career just to give chances to every cricketeer like we did with Rohit. MSD even ruined his career(he was destined to be an ATG ODI Player) by playing down the order for the sake of the team and now the same is happening to RAINA just cause we don't find good finishers. I clearly don't accept this mindset as if a good batsman comes to bat earlier and is set towards the end he has a better chance to finish the game and hence believe Raina and Dhoni if they come earlier can set the pace well and take us to the finish unlike some of our other players. We miss Yuvi who usually did the same for us along with these two. Players like Jaddu and Rohit have been the reason why we have to see Raina's and Dhoni's having to take too much pressure on themselves. I cant and dont want to see Rahane doing the same to them. Kohli is better as he can also smash it at the end and doesnot throw his wicket once he gets to 100 leaving the others to do his work. No sir. I wont want Rahane to play at No.4 get his 100 and then say Raina you come hit a few sixes' date=' get us 50 from 6 overs and I wll get meself the MOM.[/quote'] I don't think anybody is trying to kill Raina's career. A team needs different skill-sets and different players for a particular role. Raina is ideal for a lower order finisher role. Just because he's great at that doesn't mean he will be a great middle order batsman. Let's not be the victims of "Halo effect" and try to make something which Raina isn't.

[carnish]

I don't think anybody is trying to kill Raina's career. A team needs different skill-sets and different players for a particular role. Raina is ideal for a lower order finisher role. Just because he's great at that doesn't mean he will be a great middle order batsman. Let's not be the victims of "Halo effect" and try to make something which Raina isn't.

Doesnot mean he wont be a great middle order batsman .. you seem pretty biased.. we know MSD is a great finisher but he is even better in the middle order proved time and again when he decides to come high in the order. Why cant we give raina some chances in the middle order and find out instead of giving new kids on the block play out the important middle overs and piling on the pressure of RR.?? :idunno:

[Ultimate_Game]

Doesnot mean he wont be a great middle order batsman .. you seem pretty biased.. we know MSD is a great finisher but he is even better in the middle order proved time and again when he decides to come high in the order. Why cant we give raina some chances in the middle order and find out instead of giving new kids on the block play out the important middle overs and piling on the pressure of RR.?? :idunno:

Not biased but a fan of "Don't fix what ain't broke". We have so many issues from pace bowling to spin bowling to all-rounder to fielding and even opening in case Sehwag doesn't start performing consistently. AT this point our strength is our middle & lower middle order which has performed pretty well and the reason for our odi success. I don't want to break it by batting Raina at 4 and pushing somebody like Rahane to bat at 6 :facepalm:

[Manny_Pacquiao]

a high time, eh so was it a low time before, lol... raina is bored of watching virat kohli scoring hundred after hundred against the lungans lame bowling attack. probably thinks he could do the same if he was batting up the order, don't blame him...they really suck