5 promising Indian players who are likely to lose the No.4 race for World Cup

India’s squad for World Cup is to be announced on 15th April. The first choice eleven is almost certain barring the number four position. Reasonably so, it is difficult to fill shoes of the predecessor of that slot. Yuvraj Singh was dropped from the team after the Windies tour in June 2017.

Ambati Rayudu has displayed some impressive performances to strengthen his case. A hundred against the Windies last year and a grinding knock of 90 versus New Zealand has put him first in the pecking order. Lately, Vijay Shankar has also earned the faith of selectors and he might be on the flight to England as well.

Before Rayudu several players were tried and most certainly failed in cracking the anagram of the middle order. From veterans like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli to young talents like KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya, nobody was able to seize the vacant space in the middle order.

Here we look at five such players who are left far behind others in the race for a ticket to the World Cup.

Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane is another Mumbai batsman with a reposeful attitude and whose technique is better to none. Known as the overseas specialist in the Test arena, Rahane’s ODI career of late has been in an iffy. The vice-captain of the Indian Test team has found it difficult to cement a spot in the One Day setup. Post-2015 World cup he has been in and out of the ODI team. He scored a flurry of fifties in West Indies and against Australia at home in 2017, but it all came at the opening position in absence of either Rohit Sharma or Shikhar Dhawan.

After the axing of Yuvraj Singh, Rahane was entrusted with the number four duty. When Rahane scored 79 in the first ODI against South Africa in January 2018, it looked as if he is there to stay. But scores of 11, 8, 8, and 34* in the next four innings ended his sojourn in the middle order and he hasn’t played in the blues since. Not only he lost the middle order spot, but he was also vetoed out as the backup opener.