Squad assembly: Certainties, and a few contenders

On Monday, India's national selection committee chaired by MSK Prasad – in consultation with captain Virat Kohli – will pick the 15 players it thinks will be best suited to lift the ICC Cricket World Cup in England on July 14.

While 12 players pick themselves for the skills and variations they bring to the table, it is the three spots up for grabs that will be hotly debated at the BCCI's headquarters, Cricket Centre, here.

Kohli will lead a team of certainties in his deputy Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, 2011 World Cup-winning captain and the indispensable Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the first-choice wicketkeeper, Kedar Jadhav, pace bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya, the two wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, left-arm spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and the three pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

That leaves with multiple candidates for one reserve opener's slot, the crucial No. 4 position and the second all-rounder to Pandya.

Reserve opener: Rahul all the way

There is little competition for KL Rahul for the reserve opener's slot. The Karnataka right-hander has shown what he is capable of in the 14 ODIs that he has played, scoring nearly 82 per cent of his career runs as an opener. His lone ODI century and the two fifties have come in that position. And, he has been in form, going by his sublime touch for Kings XI Punjab in the ongoing IPL.

Rahul has shut the door for the likely candidates in Prithvi Shaw, who has never played an ODI or Mayank Agarwal, who, too, was not anywhere near the ODI scheme of things when India played those final stretch of 13 matches in Australia, New Zealand and India as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup. Plus, Rahul has the experience of playing in England and is aware of the conditions.

No. 4 spot, the biggest talking point

The 26-year-old Rahul has also batted at No. 4, which is the most discussed topic for India's World Cup selection.

He has batted there in three of his 13 ODI innings, averaging a poor 13.00. In the two ODIs he has played in England last year, he batted in this position for scores of 9 not out at Nottingham and 0 at Lord's. His other ODI innings at No. 4 was 17 in Pallekele in 2017.

Rahul is not cut out for the No. 4 slot as it requires a different mindset from that of an opener. Being an opener throughout his career, the selectors might do well to not consider him for the No. 4 slot for the all-important World Cup just in the name of keeping the batting order flexible.

The clear candidate for that No. 4 position is Ambati Rayudu. The Indian think-tank has played Rayudu at No. 4 slot in 10 of their last 13 ODIs before dropping him for the last two matches against Australia for want of consistent scores.

Rayudu has been playing consistently for Chennai Super Kings at No. 4 this IPL. Though performing in IPL is different to batting for India, that too in a World Cup, Rayudu is in the best frame of mind to bat there, coming ahead of the best finisher in business, Dhoni.

To bring somebody completely out of the mix to this No. 4 position in the World Cup will only put him in severe pressure.

There's a thought process that all-rounder Vijay Shankar might fit the bill, but that will be highly unfair to him as well as Rayudu.

Shankar is best suited for the second all-rounder's position after Pandya, though he may have to make way for the seasoned Jadeja. Shankar has not done any bad in the opportunities he has got and has moved over from the nervous Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka, but it might still not be enough for him to secure a World Cup ticket.

Pant or DK, second 'keeper?

Or for that matter Rishabh Pant, who undoubtedly provides the 'X' factor. Being a left-hander and an aggressive batsman, Pant may be a contender for the second wicket-keeper's slot, fighting with Dinesh Karthik.

That the selectors pursued with Pant and dropped Karthik from the squad for the last leg of their dress rehearsal against Australia may be an indication to keep the Delhi youngster in the scheme of World Cup things.

However, Karthik has experience. He has also been part of India's limited-overs World Cup squad in 2007.

DK, since his return from wilderness in the 2017 Champions Trophy, has been a handy finisher and won matches for the team. His wicket-keeping is far superior than Pant's. Also holding against Pant is the fact that he has not been able to finish matches for India after getting his eye in.

As has been seen in the limited matches he has played for India or in the IPL for Delhi Capitals, Pant has thrown it away, especially when his side is chasing, leaving it for others to finish the job.

And, Pant has age in his side. He should not be rushed for a major event like the World Cup, especially in England where experience counts big time. Pant will mature more with age and will, one day, take the place of Dhoni in the Indian team.

But, not for the World Cup. If the selectors decide to go ahead with Pant as Dhoni's deputy, it will be a huge responsibility on the left-handed dasher, and immensely unfair on Karthik.

Over to Prasad & Co for the final 15.

DNA'S 15 FOR THE WORLD CUP

Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (WK), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, , Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik

THE SELECTORS 

The five-member national selection panel comprises MSK Prasad, Sarandeep Singh, Debang Gandhi, Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda