4 Contenders for the number four spot in the Indian ODI team

#3 Ambati Rayudu

Rayudu would look to seal the number 4 slot by scoring big runs in the last 3 ODIS against New Zealand

In 18 innings at number 4, Rayudu has scored 587 runs at an average of 45.15 with 1 hundred and 4 half centuries. However, Rayudu has still not been able to make the number 4 position his own despite being afforded sufficient chances by the team management.

In the recently concluded ODI series against Australia, Rayudu played only 2 of the 3 ODIs and was left out of the third ODI. He could not open his account in the first ODI at Sydney and in the second ODI at Melbourne, he scored 24 runs off 36 balls and failed to convert the start to a big score.

In the ongoing series against the Kiwis, he scored an unbeaten 13 off 23 balls in the first ODI, while in the second ODI he could not convert his score of 47 into a big one and failed to provide the finishing touch to the innings.

While Rayudu can play the perfect role of the accumulator in the middle orders, he has still not proved to be a proven finisher in ODI cricket.

He may lose out on the number 4 spot to Dhoni and Karthik considering the finishing touches which the duo of Dhoni and Karthik can provide to the innings.

3 more ODIs in New Zealand will be the litmus test for Rayudu and if he fails to impress, he will miss out on the making it to the World Cup squad.