India vs South Africa 2018: 5 takeaways for India from the ODI series

#2 Questions still persist over the middle-order batting slots

Will they provide the solution? If not, who is next?

What this resounding performance by the Indian team shouldn't mask is the over-dependence on the top 3 batsmen. Agreed that the top 3 are supremely talented, but the middle order also needs to step up when necessary, and that was clearly missing this series. The bowlers ensured that the impact wasn't felt, but the middle-order batsmen surely need to pull up their socks.

Rahane played good knocks in the first and final games of the series but flattered to deceive in the knocks in between. Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, KL Rahul have not provided enough to inspire confidence and the selectors might start looking at other options.

There is no shortage of options with the U-19 World Cup and the IPL providing the selectors with numerous options, but with just a year to go until the World Cup, is it the right time to gamble on a youngster?