Why Dinesh Karthik is ideal for India's number 4 slot

The number 4 slot is one of the most important batting positions for any team. Virat Kohli has tried a number of players including KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Kedhar Jadhav and even Hardik Pandya in that position with little success and it is proving to be the team's achilles heel.Pandey initially found success during the 2016 Australian series where he played a brilliant innings of 104* off just 81 deliveries to help the team chase 331 runs in Sydney. Later. though he was forced out with an injury and ever since his return he has not looked the same.Ajinkya Rahane was recently given a chance in the South African tour at the number 4 slot and he had a great first game as he was involved in a match-winning partnership with Kohli. His performances in the remaining matches of the series though were below par.Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik, the 32-year-old from Tamil Nadu has been vying for a place in the team and has been knocking on the doors of the selectors for the last 6 months on the back of his impressive domestic performances. Here are a few reasons he should be India's number four in the long run:FormDinesh Karthik has been in red-hot form for Tamil NaduKarthik has been in spectacular form for the past 18 months. In the Ranji Trophy 2016-17 season, he scored 704 runs in 10 matches at an average of almost 55. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 607 runs in 9 matches at a phenomenal average of 87.In the Duleep Trophy, he scored 211 runs in 3 matches at an average of 52. He also scored 202 runs in 2 Deodhar Trophy matches at an average of 101. In the 2017 IPL, he scored 361 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 140 and was among the top 15 run getters.In the three opportunities he got with the Indian team, he failed once but scored a 50 not out in a winning cause in an ODI and also 48 runs off 29 balls in the only T20I against the West Indies. He was also given a run in the 3rd T20I against South Africa where he scored 13 runs in just 6 balls in the final overs.Pandey and Rahul have performed poorly in comparison. Pandey has scored 205 runs in his last 11 ODI matches at an average of just 29. Rahul has been in poor form, scoring just 148 runs in the last 8 matches at an average of just 21.

Why Dinesh Karthik is ideal for India's number 4 slot

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