5 Candidates to address India's No. 4 conundrum

#3 Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane deserves a chance in the middle order

From a reserve opener to a no. 4, Rahane's career is going through a roller coaster right now. Since, there's no place for him as an opener in the presence of the prodigious Dhawan-Rohit duo, Rahane has been tried and tested in this position in the past as well as the recently concluded ODI series vs South Africa.

While he might not have the best records at no. 4, he still has the temperament and experience to play in English conditions when the World Cup comes around. Don't let his numbers fool you. An average of 35 doesn't do justice to the reliability and composure that Rahane brings to the table.

In seaming conditions, like we saw in the Test series against the South Africans, many talented batsmen may flounder as seen in the heartbreaking Champions Trophy 2017 final. In such situations, a calm head like Rahane's may play the perfect foil to skipper Kohli's aggression.