4 players who can replace Ambati Rayudu in India's World Cup playing XI

Indian cricket is having an amazing run in ODI cricket for close to two years now, as the team has performed brilliantly, losing just a single series in the last couple of years. The bowling line up looks extremely strong and they have been the main reason for the improved performances of the Indian team.

The top-order of the Indian batting line up has been in terrific form since the 2015 World Cup and it has proved to be a huge asset for the Indian team. The all-rounders and the spinners too look good and have almost sealed their spots for the World Cup.

If there is one area which could be a cause for concern, then it is the middle order. Kohli has tried a number of players in the No 4 slot with little success.

Indian team had zeroed in on Rayudu through the course of the last 4 months but his performance in the last two to three series has been below par. With a number of players waiting in the wings for an opportunity, Rayudu's dip in form has left the door wide open.

#5 Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane is the only player in the list who has not played for India in limited overs cricket in the last one year but the class he possesses makes him worthy of a place here and the selectors as late as February have said that Rahane is still in the mix for a place in the World Cup squad.

Rahane is a player who is most suited to perform the role of number 4 batsman as he is the kind of player who likes to rotate the strike but his performance before his exclusion from the team has not been satisfactory.

Rahane has played 25 innings at number 4 for the Indian team and has scored 843 runs at an average of 37. His record looks impressive but he hasn't performed to the best of his abilities in international cricket in the recent past.

Rahane is a talented player who is equally adept at playing both pace and spin. He might not be a great finisher but he has the ability to score runs in the middle overs which is the most important requirement of a number 4 batsman.

#4 Rishabh Pant

Pant is more suited at number 6

Rishabh Pant is one of the most explosive players in world cricket at present. He has the additional advantage of being a wicket-keeper who can bat, but that advantage has been nullified by the presence of 3 wicket-keepers who are competing for a place in the playing X1.

Pant hasn't played long enough in ODIs to judge him on his stats. He definitely has the potential to be a phenomenal player and seldom has there been any doubt on his abilities. One area where questions have been raised is his temperament.

Pant has been extremely inconsistent and has thrown his wicket away on multiple occasions and this is totally uncharacteristic of a number 4 batsman. He is not suited for the number 4 position but he is totally capable of playing the role of a finisher and Dhoni will have to move up to number 4 position to accommodate him in the XI as the finisher in the team.

#3 Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik has been branded as one of the most unluckiest players of this generation. He has for long, lived under Dhoni's shadow and in the initial part of his career, couldn't capitalise on the opportunities. His biggest problem has been his lack of maturity and temperament at the crease.

Karthik is a phenomenal talent who might have missed a number of opportunities before, but he has been brilliant in the last 2 years.

His stats are even better at number 4 and he has been in sensational form over the last year in particular.

Karthik has the ability to both build the innings as well as to finish the innings. He is a brilliant player of spin and has been India's best finisher in the last year or so.

He has the ability to bat anywhere in the middle order and Indian team would definitely look at him in the playing 11 for the World Cup.

#2 KL Rahul

KL Rahul is one of the most talented players that India has produced in recent times. He is a treat to watch when he is in full flow and has shown the ability to perform for the team under any conditions.

Rahul has played in 5 innings in the middle order and has scored just 37 runs at a paltry average of 9, while he has scored 280 runs in 7 innings at an average of 56 in the opener's role.

5 innings may be too short a time to judge a player's talent but the difference between his average in the opening position and in the middle order shows that he is an opener and he can only bat in the top 3.

Rahul can be accommodated into the playing 11 only if Kohli decides to bat at number 4 and he gets to play at number 3.

This move may prove to be an extremely useful one for the Indian team in the World Cup as the top 4 would become extremely strong for India.

#1 Vijay Shankar

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Vijay Shankar is the latest sensation in Indian cricket, and his performance in the recent times has been worthy of recognition.

His brilliant 40 before his run out in the 2nd match of the Australia series and his brilliant final over in that very match has earned him a number of fans.

He is an extremely capable batsman and is technically sound. He has the ability to rotate the strike in the middle overs to keep the run-rate going.

The all-rounder is also capable of playing the big shots and can act as a finisher in the team as well.

His recent form is also in his favour as he has resurrected the Indian innings on both the occasions he got an opportunity to do so to take his team to a respectable total.

His batting in itself is capable of earning him a place in the XI, his ability to also contribute with the ball should definitely clinch him a place in the Indian World Cup XI.