India's best bets for Number 4 and Number 6 in ODIs

The Indian team has quite a settled squad other than the middle order. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have been phenomenal as openers and which is why KL Rahul has been a backup opener till now. Virat Kohli is exceptional at number 3 and is likely to bat at his favourite position in the West Indies series.

Hardik Pandya when fit will be India's first choice as all rounder even though Jadeja did perform well in the Asia Cup.

Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar will be India's first go to seamers and it is highly unlikely India opt for someone else. Both have been rested for the West Indies series and are likely to be back for the Australian series.

For the West Indies series, India has Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, and Khaleel Ahmed as the pacers. Khaleel impressed in his debut series and if he performs well in the West Indies series he will put forward his name for the Australian series. In the spin department, Kuldeep and Chahal have been doing really well and Ravindra Jadeja is the only other option India currently have as another spinner.

If Ravindra Jadeja plays really well and delivers all-round performances with both bat and ball it is likely that both Pandya and Jadeja can be in the eleven. If that happens India have to play with 4 batsmen, 1 wicketkeeper, 2 all-rounders and 4 bowlers. The other option can be to have a specialist batsman and drop either Kuldeep and Chahal with India going in with 3 main bowlers and 2 all rounders.

If MS Dhoni is in the side then the best position for him to bat is at number 5. Number 6 should be given to someone who has finishing abilities. If MS bats at number 5 then number 4 and number 6 are left for grabs.

Let us look at the players who are India's best bets for these positions.

#Number 4

Indian middle order didn't get much opportunity to bat in the Asia Cup mainly because the Indian openers were very consistent with the bat.

Dinesh Karthik did get a few starts but he didn't fully utilize the opportunities he got in the Asia Cup. He did play well but didn't leave a mark which could confirm his place in the side. That is perhaps the reason why the selectors have axed him from the ODI squad against West Indies.

Manish Pandey just got one opportunity with the bat in the Asia Cup in which he failed to showcase his potential. His too has been axed.

KL Rahul is unlikely to bat at number 4 given his poor record in the middle order.

Ambati Rayudu played really well in the just concluded Asia Cup. He did score consistently except in the final. Ambati Rayudu batted at number 3 in the Asia cup but with Virat back, Rayudu will have to bat at number 4. Rayudu is an excellent player of spin and also attacks spinners really well. He also rotates the strike which is really important in the middle overs. He is currently the best batsman for the number 4 spot.

#Number 6

During the last series in England, the difference between the two sides was the lower middle order batting. England has players like Stokes, Morgan and Jos Bulter who have the ability to convert a 300 looking total to 350+. Recently England has been the team who have posted huge totals in ODIs on a consistent basis. The top ODI scores of 481 and 444 belong to England.

Many times Indian top order had provided an excellent start and India look on course to 350 plus total but the because of lower middle order collapse India manages a score around 300-320.

Number 6 position is a very critical position for the finishing of the innings. At the moment, India has Hardik Pandya who is as an excellent finisher of the innings and can clear any ground at will. Pandya coming at number 7 will be able to provide for the finishing that India needs but he will need some support from the number 6.

With Dinesh Karthik axed from the squad, it is likely that selectors don't want to give him more opportunities. So the only player left is Kedar Jadhav.

Jadhav didn't get many opportunities with the bat in the Asia Cup but with the ball he was brilliant. He bowled economical overs in crucial matches and also picked wickets when in dire need. He was economical and can give you 4-5 overs easily and it will be really helpful for the balance of the side.

The bowlers will not be pressurized to bowl their full quota of overs even on bad days. Extra bowling option with Kedar makes him an invaluable player. India has been looking for somebody in the top-6 who can bowl and looks like he is the best guy at the moment.

But he injured his hamstring in the final and is not in the squad for West Indies series. Rishabh Pant has been given the opportunity in his place for the West Indies series. If Rishabh Pant can perform well in the ODI series he will definitely eye Dhoni's place.

MS Dhoni didn't look at his best in the Asia Cup. He struggled against the spinners. Rishabh Pant, on the other hand, is an excellent hitter of the ball and can be the finisher Indian side has been looking ever since there has been a decline in Dhoni's finishing abilities.

India can try Rishabh Pant in few matches against West Indies and see whether Pant can be considered for the wicketkeeping slot for the World Cup next year because it is not easy to replace MS Dhoni. He is not just a wicketkeeper but brings a lot to the table with his mere presence. At least in the T20 series, Rishabh Pant can be tried in place of MS Dhoni as he will get more exposure to international cricket.