CHENNAI : ‘Pick the length early. Keep repeating it before you face every ball’. It is a phrase that was drilled into Murali Vijay’s mind by his coach Jaikumar. Of course, it is what all coaches tell, for it is part of the manual alongside picking the line. But the length assumes more significance in Australia, where the bounce is more than what Indians are used to back home.
Here is where the leave comes in. As a batsman, it is impossible to leave the ball unless you pick the length early. In Australia, it has to be precise, as even a good length ball can at times go over the stumps. Looking at the current Indian team in Australia, it is difficult to think beyond Vijay, if you were to choose someone good at judging deliveries outside off and also bouncers. But, the question is whether Vijay will get to open in the first Test in Adelaide.
Prithvi Shaw, who scored 66 in the warm-up match, appears to be the first choice at the moment. But, as it has been the past especially on the last two overseas tours, there is no surety over who is No 2. There is KL Rahul, who the team management hopes will be the first-choice considering his talent and the shots he has. But little they would have known that those hopes are being washed away by the man himself.
Rahul has played seven overseas Tests this year and crossed fifty once — 149 in the final innings of the final match in England. He heads into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy searching for consistency. In an ideal world, Vijay’s return to the Test squad should have kept Rahul on his toes. But it has not helped him or India.
Which is why India need to find who among Vijay or Rahul will open with Shaw. In Shaw, there is an opener Virat Kohli will take any day. The captain likes players who go for shots. Shaw’s first-class strike-rate of 78.81 fits that bill. And given how good he is with horizontal bat shots, India wouldn’t be making a mistake if they opt for him and Vijay for the first Test.
“In Australia, you need an opener who is aggressive and another who can hold one end. You have to be on top of them and with Shaw, you will always see him going for shots. His game suits those conditions. I would go for Vijay at the other end because he brings stability. You either have to be fully committed to play shots or be patient so that you stay within your limits. They will undoubtedly face lots of bouncers, and given that Rahul has been inconsistent, just to send a message across it won’t be a bad idea to open with Vijay and Shaw,” said former India coach Lalchand Rajput.
Given how India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar pulled up Rahul after the opener fell for three in the practice game against Cricket Australia XI on Thursday, it should wake him up.
“He (Rahul) has been looking in good shape, including today. It is just that he is finding new ways to get out. We know his ability and if he converts that to performances then it is important for the team.
He is not a young player anymore and he is on his second tour here. He has played 30 Tests and has a responsibility. We expect him to play with that responsibility and play his role for the team,” the coach said.
Brief scores: India 358 in 92 overs (Virat Kohli 64, Prithvi Shaw 66, Ajinkya Rahane 56 Cheteshwar Pujara 54, Hanuma Vihari 53, Aaron Hardie 4/50) vs Cricket Australia XI 24/0 in 4 overs.