Possible replacements for each position in the Indian ODI squad 

Indian Test team has created history by retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Australia, a series victory certain, which is a great achievement for the team. The team has performed exceptionally well and they have shown why they are the top-ranked test team in the world.

The next tournament which would make the nation excited is the world cup and now the focus shifts on to the ODI series versus Australia and New Zealand, these ODI matches will be providing the team with the much-required preparation before they disperse for their respective franchises for the grueling IPL season.

The limited overs team has been phenomenal over the last year. While the team has been performing well, there are few loopholes in the team which needs to be foolproof. While they have plugged in most of the gaps, it is very evident that India only has a single player for few roles and thus the replacement or second line players play a vital role for India's chances in the World Cup.

Considering the workload of the players and also keeping in mind the IPL season which is around the corner, it is essential to look at the possible replacements for each of the positions in the ODI team.

Openers

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have been in tremendous form in the white ball cricket, they were the vital cogs in the ODI team success in the previous year. Having said that, they will be playing a crucial role for their respective IPL teams as well and we need to look at the back-ups for these players.

#1 Mayank Agarwal

The guy who had created ripples in the test series would be a left-field decision considering Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul are waiting in the wings, but Mayank by no means is only a Test player.

He is a wonderful striker of the white ball as well, just in case he manages to outperform his state-mate and IPL-mate Rahul in the upcoming IPL season, he might be given a chance ahead of Rahul, considering the fact he had carried himself wonderfully in the test series.

#2 Prithvi Shaw

The youngster who was supposed to be the X-factor for team India in the Test series has missed out due to his injury. Prithvi Shaw has already shown in IPL 2018 his caliber in giving good and aggressive starts and combine it with his skill of building his innings in Test matches, he will also be in the mind of the selectors as a backup opener.

Australia v India - 1st Test: Day 5

Middle Order

The middle order options are very exciting, given the fact that they are many quality players contesting for the spots in the middle order.

#1 Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer hasn't done anything particularly wrong to be left out of the team. He had a very impressive record playing for the team in the very limited chances which he had got, adding to that he is a very aggressive batsman as well.

England Lions v India A - Tri-Series International

He might be the ideal middle order batsmen for the Indian team. He has already proven himself in alien conditions playing for India-A and is waiting in the wings to grab any opportunity that will come his way.

#2 Manish Pandey

The first Indian to hit an IPL century and an amazing fielder, Manish Pandey had a roller coaster ride in 2018, he was not in the best of form in the first half, it was evident with his IPL performance as well.

But the second half has been a stellar one for Pandey, he has topped the charts for almost all the series which India-A has played in the period. He will be raring to go and cement his spot in the team if given a chance.

#3 Shubman Gill

The most exciting option of all the names in the article. In fact, Shubman Gill can also be slotted in the openers list as well, that's the versatility of the youngster and he has been the talk of the domestic circuit.

England U19's v India U19's - 5th ODI

Send him at any position to bat, all you will get in return is proper batting according to the match situation, he is one of the rare breed cricketers and he should be given a chance soon, as he will be the next big thing for the India cricket.

#4 Hanuma Vihari

A proper Test batsman who will give his best for the team, Hanuma Vihari might make a good ODI batsman as well, not so flashy but he can build innings and can make sure he is not facing dot balls though he is not striking at an alarming rate against the opposition.

Similar to Rayudu in many ways, not so aggressive but very reliable and moreover his handy off-spin bowling might be his value addition to the team.

All-rounders

#1 Vijay Shankar

Pace bowling all-rounders are always in demand, this guy has been playing as a back up for Hardik Pandya. He has been shining with the ball and the bat in the A tours and domestic matches. The inconsistency of Hardik might be on the mind of the selectors and also the captain, which means Shankar will be closely followed by the selectors.

ECB XI v India A - Tour Match

He is a very useful batsman and can also give in proper 8-10 overs with his seam bowling combined with his slower balls.

#2 Shivam Dubey

Shivam Dubey was the hottest property in the IPL auction and he has already shown his big hitting capabilities in domestic cricket. If he can show his worth in the IPL, there are high chances he might play for the ODI team, considering the fact he will be closely playing with the captain who wanted him in his IPL side at any cost.

The selectors will also be closely looking at his performances and we never know, he might end up in the ODI team ahead of Vijay Shankar and Hardik Pandya.

Wicket-keeper

#1 Rishabh Pant

No prizes for guessing the first player for the wicketkeeping option, we all know what he can do in the red ball cricket and white ball cricket. All Rishabh Pant needs to do is build his innings and show the temperament which he has shown in his recent knock at Sydney.

Australia v India - 4th Test: Day 2

He will definitely be the first choice for the wicketkeeping option and can be slotted in as an opener or a middle order batsman.

#2 Ishan Kishan

We have one of the best reserves of wicketkeepers in the domestic cricket when compared to the other countries. Ishan Kishan would have made his debut if not for his Under-19 team mate's exploits for the Indian team.

He has been making the right noise in the domestic circuit and can any day play as a specialist batsman as well. He can also be slotted at any position in the batting order and can be very aggressive as well.

---

Spinners

Spinners have been the trump cards for the team in the middle overs and having two exceptionally complementary spinners gives the team an edge over the other teams. Let us look at the replacements from bowling skills alone and not considering their batting capabilities.

#1 Shahbaz Nadeem

Nadeem is undoubtedly the best spinner in the domestic circuit right now, he can bowl in the powerplays or in the middle overs or in the slog overs.

England Lions v India A - Day Three

He has the control and most importantly he is very economical and can fetch you the vital wickets from the opposition camps. He has also been touring with the A team under the supervision of Rahul Dravid and he will be rearing the prove his worth if given a chance.

#2 Mayank Markande

Mayank Markande impressed everyone with his performance for his IPL team last year and has been doing pretty well for his Ranji team as well.

He would be like for like replacement for Yuzvendra Chahal and has the attitude to take on the pressure games as we have seen in the last season. He might play a crucial role in case the team decides to look for a replacement for any of the leg spinners.

Fast Bowlers

There is a huge academy of fast bowlers these days in India and most of the fast bowlers are actually fast enough to create trouble for the best batsmen in the world. While there are many options here, let us look at the two likely bowlers who might make the cut barring apart the bowlers from the mainstay squads.

#1 Siddarth Kaul

Siddarth Kaul's control and accuracy has impressed many and earned him the national cap last year. Though he was not able to live up to the expectations, he would be looking to prove himself in this year's IPL. He has a fantastic slower ball, knuckle ball and most importantly can bowl the yorker at will. He would be a like for like replacement for Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and would definitely be under the radar of the selectors.

England v India - 1st ODI: Royal London One-Day Series

#2 Mohammad Siraj

Siraj has come up the ranks and his pace would be definitely helpful for the team. He has performed well in the A tours recently and he can also bowl good yorkers. He will be playing for RCB and will definitely look forward to his chances in the team to prove his caliber.