CHENNAI: The Indian team is in a good place right now. They are functioning like a recently purchased Swiss Army Knife. Roles are well defined and each and every one brings a different skill set to the table.
There is very little to complain. However, one of the few white elephants as far as the team is concerned is the ever-changing nature of the openers. A settled combination has been a hallmark of some of the great Test sides of years past, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden immediately come to mind. India’s class of 2016 has the wherewithal to be one of the best but they have been unable to find a settled opening combination.
It should be pointed out that injuries have severely crippled their options but the constant state of flux is a cause for worry. Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli (average 59.46 and 68.92 respectively for the year) have been beyond excellent in 2016 and there is only so many times they can paper over a significant crack.
India have had the maximum number of opening combinations (six) this year. It’s led to Kohli’s men playing catch-up at the very start of an innings. They average a modest 28.87 for the opening wicket — seventh best among all sides to have at least played 10 innings (they were fourth in 2015, averaging 36.46). It has clearly affected Murali Vijay, who has walked out to bat with four different partners in 2016. His career average is 39.16. In 2016 it’s 29.61.
Something very natural, according to former India opener Wasim Jaffer. “It doesn’t help if you open with a different partner every two Tests. I think he would want just one opener for a period of time. It helps in running between the wickets and getting to understand body language. Ideally KL Rahul (who has missed as many Tests as he has played) should open with him but he has been getting injured, so that doesn’t help. Now, Vijay has not been as consistent as earlier.”
India do have a policy wherein injured players are accommodated in the playing XI after proving their fitness. That seems fair, but it could lead to insecurity among the stand-ins as Lalchand Rajput, former India manager, explains. “If Gautam Gambhir comes in to the side, he knows he will have to score a big 100 to retain his place,” he said. “Otherwise he will be replaced by the injured player as soon as he is fit.”
With seven more Tests, expect openers to be in the limelight if they continue their winter of discontent.
swaroop@newindianexpress.com