Five Unexpected Indian Players Who Might Book The Number 4 Berth During This Ipl

For the last two years India has been preparing for the Marquee Event which follows the IPL. With all major bases covered and most players picking themselves, India have had clear troubles at the number 4 slot. Over the last few years many players have been tried and tested in different situations against various oppositions. Although, many players including Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik have shown promise but no one has sealed the spot convincingly. The number 4 slot is definitely up for grabs and with India exhausting there International exposure pre World Cup 2019 the IPL may come to the rescue of the selectors and management. The IPL has been giving enough opportunities to the youngsters and the veterans alike to make a case for the national side and this year is no different.

Few players who are in clear contention for the slot are Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Rishab Pant, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar. The Indian management and think tank will be observing these players keenly but there are few other players who may get in the plane to England either silently or with a bang. This article brings such possible contenders to light.

1. Suresh Raina

The southpaw has earned the tag of Mr. IPL by the virtue of great performances constantly year after year at the IPL. He has been away from the ODI setup for a considerable amount of time but with so much confusion Raina's ability to roll his arm along with fantastic record as a fielder might strengthen his case. Also, since he has both attacking and defensive options he may seem to be the best option to bat between Kohli and Dhoni.

2. Ajinkya Rahane

His solid technique and precious experience of the English conditions may just force the management to look towards him. He is undoubtedly one of the finest red ball players for India but his ability to strike big during crunch situation has been unde the scan more times than he would like. If the selectors want experience and composure over the ruthlessness of the youth Rahane might be one safe and secure option to rely on. This IPL will be a great opportunity for him to prove his worth and calibre in the limited overs.

3. Shreyas Iyer

The young lad from Mumbai has been handed over the responsibilities of team Delhi in IPL. Though he is yet to impress people with his abilities to lead a side he has certainly done that as a batsman. He has had a few great seasons with the bat at the IPL and the few opportunities that he has had for India at the highest level. But he will need to prove himself again during this season of IPL as he will be up against various equally talented contenders including his Delhi teammate Rishab Pant. Although Shreyas Iyer is not the first choice but a great IPL season may bring his name into contention.

4. Manish Pandey

At one point of time he looked like a certain number 4 but no one knows what went wrong for him as he is not even being talked about as the potential number 4 batsman even though he certainly has the calibre and the temperament to go out there and make his name. He seems to be playing under the shadow of the big names in the IPL after a poor outing last season. SRH prefer Vijay Shankar over him for the number 4 spot and he will want to do everything it takes to not let that be the case at the international level.

5. Yuvraj Singh

Last but by no means the least is the veteran hard hitting southpaw. Definitely one of the most loved and most destructive players, in the limited overs, to have represented the country has a great reputation for performing out of his skin at the grandest arena. Having won the Man of the Series award the last time India won the World Cup, Singh will want to hang up his gloves by winning the prestigious trophy for the country once again. Although his career looked done and dusted before the start of this IPL, two games into the season and he looks like he has the vintage touch back. He will need to have a freak IPL to reclaim the spot that might look best with Yuvi written over it. Many fans will pray to see him bat in the blues, between the Indian Captain and another veteran legend, one last time. Age might not be on his side but let's not forget this man fought cancer the last time he was playing the ODI world cup for India.