India have most of their bases covered, especially when it comes to the batting line-up, barring one. They have wonderful openers in the form of Ajinkya Rahana, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and have finishers such as Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni.
However, the number four slot seems to be up for grabs when one thinks about the 2019 World Cup. There are some serious contenders for the batting position, which is presently occupied by Manish Pandey. The Karnataka batsman cannot take the position for granted unless he scores some big runs, which can play an important role in making him permanent in this Indian side.
India are looking ahead for the 2019 World Cup, and in the next six months, they would be looking at other options available if Pandey does not fire. Pandey, so far, has been a mixed bag, and he needs to be consistent.
There are other players waiting in the wings like KL Rahul, who needs to make the most of the chances he gets. One cannot discount senior pros like Yuvraj Singh and especially Suresh Raina, who will be aiming to get the fourth slot in the India team.
Pandey understands the pressure, but he knows helping India win matches with the bat will play an integral role in getting his place cemented.
"Definitely, there is pressure in the middle order. I would like to play more games and win matches for India. I am doing the hard work to try and find a place for me in the playing eleven," Pandey said.
"It is completely different when you are playing number three, four or six. It is all about the mindset. It is about aggressiveness. I would like to spend more time on the wicket to make myself feel at ease at the crease," he added.
Pandey, who looked good in the last ODI against Australia in Indore, will hope to score some quality runs when he walks into bat in the fourth ODI on Thursday. He needs to make every chance count that is presented to him else Pandey could risk losing his position.
