Mumbai : Indian team for the World Cup will be selected on 15th of this month. Although the team is more or less finalised the question mark on number 4 slot in the batting order still lingers.
It is certain that Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan will be batting at number 1 & 2 respectively. King Kohli is certain to come at number 3. Then ? Question arises... But there are plenty of options before team India to fill that crucial slot.
Experienced Ajinkya Rahane is there but the question is that he wasn't given an ODI opportunity since 2017. Will the Indian selectors led by M. S. K. Prasad take that extra risk by reapplying Rahane straight in this crucial tournament.
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Manish Pandey is another option before the selectors. No one will forget his match winning knock of unbeaten 104 against the mighty Aussies in Sydney. To support his cause , he is an excellent fielder as well. The obstacle is that he isn't given enough chances.
Dinesh Karthik also can be applied in that slot. But question is that , will he be risked by promoting up the order or he will be applied in the lower order given the fact that he is an hard hitting batter.
Ambathi Rayyudu is another option but again he is paralysed by two factors. First , he was banned from bowling for life by the ICC and second he can't be relied upon.
Kedar Jadhav is there. But he can be a good finisher like M. S. So promoting him at number 4 might be an sacrificing act by Indian think tank.
Shreyas Iyer is another option but his handicapcy might be the fact that he is not that much experienced.
Rishav Pant is there but question arises will team India pick three wicket keepers in the squad?
Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal can be the surprise options. But applying them directly in the world cup might be a suicidal act.
It has been proved time and again that M.S. Dhoni always comes out with flying colours if he is promoted up the order . Will Indian think tank apply him at number 4 given the fact that he is a great finisher.
It may be recalled that Pakistan faced the same problem as they were unable to find a batsman for number 3 slot during 1992 world cup , which, they eventually won. Then Pak skipper Imran Khan promoted himself at number 3 and not only that he was the fulcrum of the Pakistan batting order. Imran , a number 6 or 7 batter came out with flying colours after promoting himself. With this bold move Imran finally had his dream come into reality.
