ICC World Cup 2019: 2 alternatives for the No. 4 slot who are already in the Indian squad 

The Indian cricket team is considered to be one of the strongest teams of the current era and rightly so. It consists of high-performing players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya as well as legends such as legends such as MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Moreover, India's top 3 is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever seen.

Due to the powerful and trusted opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, the team is more often than not provided a strong start. Then the brilliance of Virat Kohli, arguably the best batsmen of the modern era, coming in at 3 means further damage for the opponents.

Furthermore, the Indian team is also blessed to have a power-packed lower middle order with Kedar Jadhav and Hardik Pandya entering the pitch at 6 and 7 (most probably). Considering the firepower in the side, it is quite easy to see why India are considered to be capable of making and chasing down mammoth totals.

However, one problem existing in this dream line-up that the team management has yet to solve is the No. 4 position. Over the last two years the team has tried different players such as Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik and Virat Kohli at the No. 4 position. However, some of them were just not consistent enough, while for others it wasn't the best suited position.

For now, the management has declared that Vijay Shankar is the first-choice No. 4 for the ICC World Cup 2019. But if he fails, there are two other players in the squad itself who could be considered for this all-important slot in England. Here's a look at them:

---

#1 KL Rahul

KL Rahul

From the current squad, KL Rahul definitely seems like one of the more feasible options to claim the number 4 position. Not only is he a confident and skilled batsman, he can also adapt very well to change. This will be an important factor considering the different grounds the Indian team will be playing at.

The last time India toured England, which was in July 2018, Rahul seemed to judge the situation as well as the conditions well. In fact, he started off the tour with a brilliant 101* in the very first T20I, which helped his team get across the line and attain a 1-0 lead.

In the 13 innings that Rahul has played, he has accumulated a respectable total of 343 runs at an average of 34.30. While that is not an imposing record, it's not a bad one either.

An added advantage of playing Rahul at number 4 is that it could result in a long term solution for India. Rahul is only 27 years old, and is likely to be playing for the country for at least 7-8 more years. This means that if he succeeds, the team management wouldn't have to worry about this particular position for a long time.

---

#2 MS Dhoni

England v India - 2nd Vitality International T20

MS Dhoni, arguably the greatest wicketkeeper-batsman the game has ever seen, is the most popular choice to be India's number 4.

It is no secret that Dhoni is nearing the end of his career, and many even believe the 2019 World Cup might be his last time donning the Indian jersey. That is one of the reasons why it would be perfect to let him enter the ground at 2 down.

Coming in at a later stage more often than not requires the batsman to start hitting from the word go, as his main objective is to score the maximum possible runs in the least possible balls. However, at this stage of Dhoni's career it seems more practical to send him in earlier so that he can assess the situation and play the way he wants to.

Moreover, if Dhoni comes in later he will probably not have anyone experienced enough on the other end, which means all the pressure would be on him. On the contrary, coming in early would mean that he can start his innings on his own terms, while an experienced player on the other side (Kohli, Rohit or Dhawan) who has been at the crease for longer keeps the run rate stable. Thus, Dhoni would be able to keep his wicket and hurt the opposition once he is ready.

The emotional side of it is not the only argument for Dhoni to bat at number 4. While batting at number 4, Dhoni has been nothing short of excellent in his 15-year ODI career. From a total of 30 ODIs that he has batted at number 4, Dhoni has accumulated a magnificent total of 1358 runs, with an astounding average of 56.58 and a brilliant strike rate of 92.82.

But while Dhoni seems like the dream choice for the number 4 position, there is a big disadvantage to it too. If he comes in at 2 down and gets out early and the top three don't do well either, then there will be no one in the middle and lower-middle order experienced enough to hold the innings together.

Follow Sportskeeda for all the updates on Cricket World Cup schedule, news, points table, live scores, world cup most runs, most wickets and fantasy tips.