Five players who can solve India's No.4 woes

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is just a few months away, and all the teams are carrying out the final remaining touch ups to their respective squads. The'Men in Blue' are the hands-down favorites, alongside England, to take the coveted trophy home.

The recently concluded India versus Australia ODI series didn't provide the fruitful results that many Indian fans would've hoped for. While the series loss is not something many should worry about, the fact that the World Cup hopefuls haven't been able to confirm their seats on the plane to England is a bigger matter of concern.

While the Indian captain Virat Kohli ruled out basing World Cup selections on IPL performances, it seems likely that IPL will once again prove to be the measuring rod for the World Cup spots. With a strong top order and a highly successful bowling department, all eyes would be on who all make it to India's wobbly middle-order. Cricketing pundits all over the world have weighed in with their choices, with Ricky Ponting name-dropping Shreyas Iyer as a probable pick.

In the past few years, India has tried a number of batsmen for the No.4 position, but that slot still hasn't been locked in. Ambati Rayudu seemed to be the answer to the No.4 conundrum, but his recent performance against Australia has once again opened the discussion. Rayudu looked helpless against Pat Cummins and had no answers to Adam Zampa's variations. With the World Cup drawing near, the Indian selectors might just have to look beyond Rayudu.

In this list, we will be running down the potential options that the Indian selectors could look into for the much-talked-about No.4 batting position. Some of these options might appear unconventional, given how the modern game keeps on evolving, but sometimes in life, one has to look beyond the usual to make some big gains.

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#5 Cheteshwar Pujara

Chesteshwar Pujara is a regular feature of India's Test team

In a recent interview with India TV, the former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, had quite a unique name to offer while discussing the probable options for the No.4 position for the upcoming World Cup. The name that he suggested was none other than Cheteshwar Pujara, India's resident No.3 in the Test match set-up.

Comparing Pujara to the likes of Rahul Dravid, Ganguly argued that Pujara's inclusion would bring solidity to the foundations of India's batting line-up. Having played only five ODI matches in his career, with the last one having been played in 2014, it seems a long-shot option that selectors would even consider Pujara for the position.

But, let's just not ridicule this option for right now. There is no one more dependable than Pujara as far as the Test set-up is concerned, having scored 5,426 runs from just 114 innings, at an average of over 51. The Indian team lacks a solid middle-order, which could prove to be fatal at the World Cup, and Pujara might just be the man to end India's long struggle.

While Ganguly admitted that he could be a liability with regards to fielding, he believed that Pujara's technical prowess is head and shoulders above the rest. Pujara might be an out-of-the-box solution, but given his ability to play long innings, he might just be the diamond that India is looking for.

#4 KL Rahul

KL Rahul will play for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL

It seems harsh that many cricket pundits have cooled off on KL Rahul, who hasn't really been provided with enough opportunities to prove his mettle. In the recent Australia-India ODI series, he got just one game in the entire series. As far as the two T20s are concerned, Rahul was amongst the runs, as he notched up a fifty in the first game, and scored a fiery 47 in the next.

Rahul had a sensational IPL last year as part of the Kings XI Punjab, smacking 659 runs from just 14 matches. He would have to put in a similar performance this year around as well if he hopes to be on the plane to England.

India shouldn't push Virat Kohli down to No.4 in order to accommodate Rahul, as Kohli is a natural fit at No.3. Rahul coming in at four makes sense from a technical standpoint, as he has got all the shots in the book, and can play all around the ground.

Rahul is quick to adapt himself to different situations, be it stabilizing the innings or scoring some quick runs. He has experience playing in England under difficult conditions, unlike the other probables for the No.4 spot, which works to the team's advantage. Also, if a situation arises where MS Dhoni is unable to keep wickets, Rahul could do the needful.

#3 Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane is the Vice-Captain of the Indian Test Team

If there is someone who can solve the No.4 jigsaw puzzle and add stability to what seems to a depleted middle order, it is Ajinkya Rahane. A regular feature of India's test side, Rahane was last seen donning the blue jersey in the series against South Africa. Selectors must not sleep on him already.

He would definitely need to be on fire in the upcoming IPL tournament to even make a case for himself to be included in the World Cup squad. An experienced customer, Rahane can read the game well and will also be able to provide useful inputs to captain Kohli.

Given that the World Cup will be played in the overcast English conditions prime for swing bowling, India would need someone with sound technical abilities to fend off the pacers, provided they encounter a collapse. Rahane, a delicate maneuverer of the cricket ball, can also play quality spin-bowling with relative ease.

With India losing key wickets during the middle-overs, it becomes enormously difficult for someone like Kohli or Rohit Sharma to see the game through. Rahane is someone whom the team can rely or depend on, to bat through the crucial junctures of the game.

#2 Vijay Shankar

Vijay Shankar is a right-hand batting all-rounder

While the series loss to Australia in the recently concluded ODI series derailed India's momentum to an extent, there were a few positives too for team India. The biggest out of all of them is Vijay Shankar's impressive performance, both with the bat and the bowl in hand.

He hasn't had many games under his belt, in what has been a short stint on the international scene, but he has definitely made his case for his inclusion in India's World Cup squad. A good fielder to have in the side, Shankar should definitely be on the selectors' lookout for the No.4 spot.

His all-round performance in the second ODI, wherein he scored a quickfire 46, coupled with his last-over heroics, took India over the line. It also showed his ability to handle pressure at crunch situations and deliver results.

He was also involved in a match-winning partnership with Rayudu in the last ODI against New Zealand, scoring a crucial 45 to rescue the team when they were reeling at 18 for 4.

There is no doubt that Shankar has all the skills in the bag, but he just needs to apply himself for longer durations.

#1 Kedar Jadhav

Kedhar Jadhav usually bats at No.6 in the ODIs

Many would agree that, without a shadow of a doubt, Kedhar Jadhav needs to be in the playing XI for the World Cup. Given his ability to stitch long partnerships and keep the scoreboard ticking, he should come into the fold quite early, rather than batting down at No.6.

At an average of 43.57, he is the right man to have in the team if India loses quick wickets at the top of the order. He has rescued India on a number of occasions, the most recent instance being, during the first ODI between Australia and India. With a strike-rate of over 100, he can also up the ante whenever the situation demands.

Everyone would remember his exceptional performance when he fought a hamstring injury to win India the Asia Cup last year. One should also keep in mind his exploits as a bowler in the middle overs, picking up key wickets at crucial stages in the matches.

He can play both pace and spin bowling quite well and will be able to counter opposition attacks in the middle overs. He hasn't had that many opportunities to bat at the No.4 position, but he's definitely an option worth considering.