But Suresh Raina continues to grab one of the most crucial batting positions in the shorter format of the game. Asked about his take on the situation, Raina said on Tuesday: "I have been doing well at No. 4. The last couple of matches may not have been good for me, but the No. 4 spot is mine."
Confidence and aggression on the field have always been the mark of this 26-year-old. He made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2005 as a replacement for another left-hander - an injured Yuvraj Singh - and embodied a lot of the Punjab lad's batting style. He could split the field and deposit the ball into the stands. After becoming a regular in the ODI team, Raina also became the 12th Indian to score a ton on Test debut in 2010.
And then there came the Indian Premier League and Raina made a place for himself in the Chennai Super Kings and, as one would say, into Dhoni's special group of men.
But, in the mean time, his weakness against the short ball had been exposed and a terrible England tour in 2011 showed his inability to play pace, seam and swing. He lost his place in the Test squad but continued to enjoy the confidence of his skipper in the shorter formats.
"Yuvraj Singh is my best option at No. 4. But I have to keep in mind that if he is not available for the next World Cup, we'll need a replacement and Raina is the only batsman to take Yuvi's place," Dhoni said after India's defeat in the first ODI.
Yet, it is not just the lack of skill but also the refusal to learn from his mistakes that sometimes makes him a misfit in a group of constantly improving youngsters like Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan. And, hence, the nature of his dismissals appears more and more glaring each time.
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