CHENNAI: South Africa. England. Now Australia. India’s destination for foreign tours has changed thrice this year, but not this question: what does the team do with the first two slots of its batting line-up?
KL Rahul has been playing inswingers like they’re unpinned hand-grenades. Murali Vijay seems to have forgotten the ball-leaving abstinence that had turned him into the Monk. The much-anticipated Prithvi Shaw experiment went kaput even before it happened Down Under, courtesy an ankle injury.
Now throw in the current scoreline: 1-1. That, and the facts that while one of India’s back-up opening options (Mayank Agarwal) has not worn a Test cap, the other (Parthiv Patel) has donned one in five matches in this decade. A big catch-22 situation awaits Virat Kohli and his men before the Boxing Day Test.
“It’s quite evident from both Rahul’s and Vijay’s dismissals this year that the two are not in a good space, mentally speaking,” observed former India opener and coach Lalchand Rajput.
“Even if you’re technically solid, like these two are, a doubtful approach to batting is bound to be disastrous. You need to be committed to shots, especially on Australian pitches. Rahul, in this regard, has been more circumspect. I think there’s a possibility that he might sit the third Test out. I also feel that India missed a trick by not selecting Shikhar Dhawan — considering his record here — for this tour.”
All said, even the cricketing fraternity is divided on how India should be plugging this leak up top. The only thread that binds them, though, is their inclination towards seeing Rahul being benched for Melbourne.
Rajput feels that throwing Agarwal — whose first-class and India A credentials don’t really need an introduction — into the deep end is the way forward.
“Pitch or otherwise, if players are not given a chance, they won’t evolve. Shaw is a good example. I’d say the time is right for Agarwal. The domestic circuit is there for a reason, right? And, he’s also done well in New Zealand. I’d say bringing him in instead of Rahul is a no-brainer.”
Former all-rounder and selection committee chairman Chandu Borde, on the other hand, opines that the left-right advantage that Parthiv brings with him could serve India well.
“Compared to Mayank, Parthiv brings with him a lot more experience. He came back into the mix in South Africa, so he knows what it takes to face bowlers like these. Vijay and he will be a good option. Plus, giving Parthiv the gloves instead of Rishabh Pant will also let India open up a slot for another specialist middle-order batsman.”
Permutations and combinations notwithstanding, India can draw a bit of solace from the fact that the last Test in Melbourne — the fourth Test of Ashes 2017-18 — turned out to be a dead-bat-athon. It yielded five fifties, two centuries and a double century; all that at an overall run-rate of 2.42, the lowest in an Australia home Test in 24 years.
As per reports, Cricket Australia has tried to liven up the drop-in pitch — which was rated “poor” by ICC after that clash — during the Sheffield Shield, but these stats may let all potential India opening options breathe easy.
But then again, India are left with only 120-odd hours to untie a Gordian Knot that has refused to unravel for nearly a year.