5 Candidates to address India's No. 4 conundrum

While a flurry of positive results in varying conditions and against different opponents in recent times has placed Team India as one of the favorites to life the coveted World Cup trophy next year, the only gaping hole in the line-up is their No. 4 Batsman.

An honorable mention goes out to Dinesh Karthik here, who although is a very experienced cricketer, the only way he gets drafted into the team is if MS Dhoni unfortunately picks up an injury during the tournament.

Here are 5 candidates who could ideally be perfect to fill that void at two-down when these gladiators take center stage at the biggest tournament in the history of this beautiful sport:

#1 MS Dhoni

Dhoni is not the finisher he once was

Everyone knows what happened on 2nd April 2011 when the-then skipper promoted himself ahead of Yuvraj Singh and played a pivotal role in India lifting the trophy for the 2nd time. While his power-hitting prowess has been on a wane in recent times, he's still a perfect no.4 due to his ability to rotate the strike and anchoring the innings, thereby making him more suited to this slot rather than the lower middle order.

He's been known to be a brilliant reader of the game and the Kohli-Dhoni combo at No. 3 and No. 4 could spell doom for bowlers all over the world because of their ability to keep the scorecard ticking. Dhoni might not be the finisher he once was, but his understanding of the game and his vast experience are 2 unparalleled assets to the team in their hour of need.

#2 Kedar Jadhav

Jadhav made a late start but is an able candidate

This man's all-round abilities give him a slight leverage as compared to his peers in the 50-over format. His unique bowling action coupled with his street-smart batting technique can be vital in providing the team some much-needed balance in such a long tournament.

He can provide a solid base if he's used at no. 4 thus allowing Pandya and co to accelerate at the end of the innings. He has provided some really critical breakthroughs in the middle overs with the ball and if he remains consistent enough, he'll find his name in the first team's sheet on a regular basis in the long run as well.

Due to some healthy competition in the Indian middle order, many have raised eyebrows questioning his place in the team. However, he enjoys the confidence and the backing of the team management which is more important than anything else in the modern game.

#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.

#4 Manish Pandey

Pandey has been on the fringes of the team for long

I doubt if there's anybody as unlucky as Manish Pandey in the current Indian team. His batting average of 39 hardly proves any testament to the immense talent this guy has. Though, he has been provided the long rope in recent times, he'll be fighting for his spot in the Playing XI, as he always has.

With the likes of Dinesh Karthik, Shreyas Iyer and even Suresh Raina coming back in the reckoning for the middle order, Pandey needs to step up and replicate innings like his stupendous ton against Australia at the SCG in 2016. He's a seasoned campaigner in domestic cricket and even the IPL.

Though he's always been on the fringes of the team, Pandey has shown glimpses of tremendous potential and might just be the exuberance Team India needs in the middle order. But the big question remains, will he be given a fair chance of making it into the playing XI in the coming barrage of ODI fixtures?

#5 Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is patchy but very talented

While many were surprised to see Iyer getting many chances in the recently concluded ODI series in the rainbow nation, the lad from Mumbai has held his own in tough situations. He's still quite young and will only get better if continues to play with this thunderous Indian team.

He hasn't yet scored that big match-winning innings and hence, may be an outsider the time the Men in Blue reaches the English shores in 2018. He still seems to be finding his feet at the International level, but given the limited amount of time left before the World Cup, he needs to perform consistently and grab the opportunities presented to him with both hands if he hopes to bat alongside Kohli in the middle overs.

For a batsman who's scored a bucket-load of runs in domestic cricket at such a young age, it's a matter of when and not if he shines in the national jersey.