5 cricketers who can solve India's number 4 conundrum

The Indian team is considered as one of the finest teams in white ball cricket, and very rightfully so. Virat Kohli's trusted warriors are extremely skillful and hence have received the favorites' tag for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Yet, the recently concluded ODI series against England threw light to one glaring problem.

The Indian batting order, with all its gigantic names like the Kohlis and the Sharmas, lack a player for an extremely important position in ODI cricket - the number 4. When it comes to T20Is, the skipper does a commendable job, as he did against England with two 40+ scores in 3 matches. However, things change when it comes to ODI as Kohli returns to usual number 3 position.

India used the man in sublime form, KL Rahul in number 4, but it did not work. They tried to invest faith in Dinesh Karthik, but he only gave 21 runs in return. Hence, the number 4 conundrum is something that needs to be addressed as soon as possible, and BCCI can try these 5 players to solve the problem:

#5 Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agarwal has been in great form in the recently concluded tri-series

The first name amongst the five might not be very convincing, but his recent numbers surely are. Mayank Agarwal had a great domestic season, which brought him into the scheme of things for the umpteenth time. However, the let that glorious chance slip away with a poor IPL season.

But he has proved his caliber in the recently concluded tri-series against Windies A and England Lions. In 4 games, he scored 287 runs at a staggering average of over 70. His strike rate of over 105 was equally impressive. Agarwal is not predominantly a middle-order player but is versatile enough to be tested in the number 4 slot.

#4 Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson had a great IPL

Much like Agarwal, Sanju Samson has had a pretty on-and-off career. Many feel that he has not done justice to the enormous talent that he possesses, but Samson was hell bent of proving them wrong, and he did just that in the Indian Premier League earlier this year. Playing for Rajasthan Royals, Samson amassed 441 runs in 15 games.

His average was over 30 and he scored runs at an impressive strike rate of nearly 140. Unfortunately, the 10th highest Indian run scorer in this year's IPL did not get a chance in Rahul Dravid's India A side, but he can be tested for the position that suits him the best - number 4.

#3 Ambati Rayudu

Ambati Rayudu has recently been in the form of his life

Ambati Rayudu has had a pretty eventful career, with off the field issues overshadowing his phenomenal on-field performances. He has delivered whenever he was asked to and recently did a magnificent job the IPL champions Chennai Super Kings.

Rayudu scored 602 runs at an average of over 40 and in a lightning pace of a nearly 150 strike rate. His ODI career numbers are quite lucrative, which features an average of over 50 and a strike rate of over 75.

In challenging conditions like that of Australia, New Zealand or England, his average is nearly 50 and strike rate remaining almost intact as well. The Indian team, with all its youth and exuberance, might be needing an experienced figure in the middle-order, and who better than Rayudu to give them the stability?

#2 Rishabh Pant

Pant can fit in at any position

In case India is looking for a destructive middle-order batsman who is flexible enough to fit in at any position as per the need of the hour, from opening to lower-order, they must not look any further than this pocket-sized dynamo. Pant had a great tri-series in the English soils like Agarwal, and will now join the senior team for the Test series.

In 5 matches, Pant scored 158 runs at 50+ average and a strike rate of around 105. His IPL season was astounding, in which he scored 684 runs. It featured a flurry of boundaries and biggies, which can be understood by his 170+ strike rate. In addition to that, Pant can do wicket-keeping, if the rumors of MS Dhoni's retirement before the World Cup turns true.

#1 Shubman Gill

One for the future, or one for now?

Shubman Gill created an enormous fan following for himself during the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup. That escalated with his IPL stint with Kolkata Knight Riders, in which he scored 203 runs with a 30+ average and 140+ strike rate. It earned him a place in the India A side, and Gill is too shrewd to not grab that opportunity.

He scored 187 runs in 4 games at an astonishing average of over 60, which features two half-centuries. The 18-year-old is really looking all set for the future, but the question is, is BCCI wasting his talent by not introducing him to the senior circuit, given that he has already proved his fortitude against the very bests in the business in IPL, or will it be too big a risk to have a teenager in the senior team?