5 Players who can still make the 2019 World Cup Squad for India

With just over 6 months to go for the 2019 World Cup, most of the teams are looking to finalize their squads and be sure that they pick the right men for the job.

For the Indian team, only 13 ODIs are left before the biggest tournament in the sport begins. So, time is running out quickly for Virat Kohli to finalize his squad.

Like any other captain, Kohli would also want to lift the most prestigious trophy in cricket. But to do that, he has to make sure that he has got the right mix of players.

Although the nucleus of the team is already decided, there are still some spots up for grabs. Today we are going to take a look at five such players who can still make the 2019 World Cup squad.

---

#5 Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey can be the backup for India at the number four spot

Manish Pandey has been around the team for a while now. He made his ODI debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe and since then has played 22 ODIs.

There is no doubt about his talent and potential as he was also part of a group of players who were fighting for the number four spot in the Indian team and looked to be the prime candidate but has lost his way in the last year or so.

While Ambati Rayadu might seal that spot in the lineup now, the Indian team cannot rule out that Rayadu has been injury prone throughout his career. So, if there is any such scenario where Rayadu is not fit, Pandey might get the opportunity to play and being a good back-foot player, might come in handy in the English conditions.

#4 Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya made his T20 debut earlier this year

Krunal Pandya is yet another product of the Indian Premier League (IPL). India may have already finalized their spot for spinners in the form of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, but an all-rounder position is still up for grabs.

Krunal, in the limited opportunities that he has got at the International level, has shown that he can do the job with the ball in his hand and also be quite handy with the bat.

He has a good head above his shoulders and is smart in his approach towards the game. Picking him would also add variation to the Indian bowling and will also give the much required depth in the batting.

We have seen that the pitches in England in recent times have helped spinners quite a bit, especially in the limited overs format and he has the ability to become the sixth bowling option that the Indian team needs and can also bat efficiently at number six or seven.

#3 Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw scored a century on his Test debut

Prithvi Shaw is the player everyone is excited about not only in India but also across the world. He has shown in the Test series against the Windies that he is ready to face the big boys of International cricket.

Shaw has the ability to score big, and bat throughout the innings along with having a good technique to tackle the seaming conditions in England.

KL Rahul has been out of form for quite some time now, leading him to be dropped from the test side for the Boxing Day Test after getting many opportunities.

With Prithvi Shaw already showing a lot of promise, Virat Kohli might think of selecting him in World Cup squad as a backup opener if one of Shikhar Dhawan or Rohit Sharma gets injured or goes out of form.

#2 Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja is the prime candidate for the third spinner spot

Ravindra Jadeja is the front-runner to grab the spot of a third spinner in the Indian squad for the 2019 World Cup.

Jadeja also comes with the added advantage of his batting and in recent times, has improved this facet quite a lot. He has always been very accurate with the bowl and can definitely give the skipper a cushion of being the fifth bowling option. And if Kedar Jadhav is also fit, India might play both of them as they can both give the team 10 overs and also bring depth to the batting.

Jadeja also played a vital role during India's Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, which also took place in England and he is also in the ODI squad for the upcoming series against Australia. This shows that the selectors are keen on picking him in the squad for the World Cup next summer.

#1 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant scored a century in the Test match against England in England

Rishabh Pant might be the player that India needs at the back-end of the innings. In recent times, India has not been able to finish the innings that well and he has the ability to smoke it to all parts of the ground.

He can clear any fence in the world as we already seen many times during the IPL, and when at his best, he can just take the game away from any opposition single-handedly.

He can be the backup keeper if Dhoni gets injured or can even be a part of the team as a pure batsman and can bat at number four or five, if needed. It was quite surprising not to see him in the ODI squad for the series against Australia, but he can still very much be part of the World Cup squad.