iSporter Dr. Anand Subramanian believes that we were privileged to live in the decade when Indian cricket had come of age in the world of test cricket. He shares his thoughts about how invaluable indian openers are for team success in test cricket. Find out more!
We had a set of cricketers who dreamt of taking Indian cricket where very few Indians had even gone before (read overseas test victories). The premier Indian middle order: A group comprising of the "Wall" who has now faced the most number of balls in test cricket, a number four who has the most runs and centuries in international cricket, a silken touch artiste at five who treated Australian bowlers, at their prime, with disdain and was "Very Very Special", and to top it all, a south-paw and captain par excellence who was next only to God as far as off side play goes. Beyond them was the "helicopter" pilot ready to destroy every attack to rubble. And the tail often, was no mug with the bat, with test centuries under their belt.
Are we missing anyone, yes, of course, the openers! A pair often forgotten in the mix of things? Sehwag is of late getting a reputation of being a destroyer (which he of course is) but not much praise is coming his way, Gambhir gets the odd reference here and there, there were quite a few experimented in the past 10 years whose forward short leg catching got more comments than their opening batting.
Ironic. Quite unfortunate. Unfair.
A close look at a set of stats regarding our batting performances with emphasis on our opening partnership and the innings total i.e. the number of occasions the innings total reached 400 and the opening contribution in the same, over the past 5 years revealed some startling facts especially when similar stats about the Australian team in their prime (2001-2006) and South Africa and England when they were number one (2006 onwards) were also seen.
|
TIMES TEAMS HAVE REACHED 400 |
|
TOTAL NO.TIMES TEAMS REACHED 400 |
OPENING PARTNERSHIP SCORE |
|
|
|
LESS THAN 50 |
MORE THAN 50 |
||
|
TEAMS |
NUMBER(%AGE) |
NUMBER(%AGE) |
||
|
INDIA |
35 |
12(34%) |
23(66%) |
|
|
SOUTH AFRICA |
22 |
10(46%) |
12(54%) |
|
|
AUSTRALIA |
41 |
23(56%) |
18(44%) |
|
|
ENGLAND |
33 |
16(48%) |
17(52%) |
|
The stats speak for themselves. If the Indian opening partnership reached 50, there was a far greater chance (almost double) of the team total reaching 400 than if the first wicket fell before 50.
It may be argued that one of the prime roles of an opener is to weather the storm: see off the new ball, wait for any moisture to dry and look ahead to more batsmen-friendly conditions. "Give the first hour to the bowlers and the rest five will be yours" is often a mantra given to aspiring young openers. But cricket is a team game: in overseas conditions like England, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa where the conditions give opening bowlers a distinct advantage, the openers may not succeed every single time. It is here that the rest have to step up to the plate. A look at the other team's stats shows that there is almost an equal chance of the team reaching 400 whether or not the openers put up 50 on the board.
The Indian's dependence on the openers to put the opposition on the back foot is unhealthy: the Indian middle and lower orders can be relied upon to keep the opposition on the mat once they are there but is it only the openers' role always to put them there in the first place? The term " flat-track bullies" so often bestowed upon Indian batsmen assumes even more significance if we take the openers out of the equation. And we thought there was only one "Maharaja" in the Indian team. When one of our players remarked "Not everyone gets to be raja [king], some have to be mantri [minister]." the openers could only afford to grin and bear!
If we were to look further back over the past 10 years records, the situation does not change a great deal.
|
|
TOTAL NO.TIMES INDIA REACHED 400 |
OPENING PARTNERSHIP SCORE |
|
|
|
LESS THAN 50 |
MORE THAN 50 |
|
|
|
NUMBER(%AGE) |
NUMBER(%AGE) |
|
|
MARCH 2006 ONWARDS |
35 |
12(34%) |
23(66%) |
|
MARCH 2001 ONWARDS |
60 |
23(38%) |
37(62%) |
A generation of openers have come and gone and it is about time we give them their rightful due. Whether it was Akash Chopra and his grit and determination during the Australia tour of 2003-04 where he shielded Dravid from the new ball on many an occasion though he may not have set the scoreboard on fire.
Whether it was Sanjay Bangar who defied the English attack during the Headingly test in extreme seamer friendly conditions for the middle order to traumatise the attack on the second day. Whether it was Murali Vijay who deputised for the injured/suspended Gambhir on more than one occasion on the home series against New Zealand and Australia with aplomb. The more experienced players took the plaudits, the openers given a raw deal.
This article does not aspire to take away any credit from the Indian middle order nor does it serve to diminish the value and brilliance of the Indian golden quartet. Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly come once in a generation...Sachin comes once....period...Only once. But it only tries to redress the balance: to redeem the value of the Indian openers and to emphasise how under-valued our openers are.
"A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of his role and his contribution to highlight the skill of others". Never has this been more appropriate than the Indian openers. Let us appreciate the efforts of these endangered species. Long live Indian openers!
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
Saurabh Agrawal
said:
 |
... You proved one thing my sir always used to say. "Statistics are lies, lies and damn lies." You can bend them whichever way you want to prove your point. What I hated tough is you being more biased towards sachin. What's with him being 'only once' and the rest being once in a generation?? Even b4 sachin retired, there are already comparisons between him and don bradman. Ppl say Sehwag is sachin minus footwork. I never heard Dravid or laxman being compared to anyone. They are unique. In this T20 age, you wud get many sachins. They may not break all those records coz not every one gets a break at an age of 16 and gets to play 22yrs but in terms of temperament, quality and stroke playing, there will many sachins but ONLY ONE DRAVID AND ONE LAXMAN. |
Saurabh Agrawal
said:
|
... As far as aakash chopra Or Sanjay bangar shielding Dravid is concerned, let me tell you that it takes 2 openers to shield Dravid and not one. More often than not Dravid was on pitch as good as an opener. And the headingley test you talking about, Dravid made a fighting 148 and it was not bangar who shielded Dravid but it was Dravid and bangar who shielded sachin who sat pretty in the pavilion till the conditions were tough and came out later to score 193 inspire of which Dravid was adjudged man of the match. A 50 partnership is not really a very bid deal. You could say the same for partnership for 2nd wicket too. Let's find out how many times India got to 400 when Dravid and one of the opener shielded sachin by staging a partnership of 50+!!!! |
Saurabh Agrawal
said:
|
... Finally let me remind you once again that in this adulterated age of T20, you wud find many fluent stroke makers like sachin though they might not be able to break his records, but you'll never ever get another pure Dravid or Laxman. Becoz a Dravid or laxman comes only once. Period. |
Jigar Mehta
said:
 |
... Sachin comes once....period...Only once: loved this line  superb analysis cheers!!!!!! |
Saurabh Agrawal
said:
|
... Well who comes only once is a subjective feeling but let me show you how statistics can be bent anywhich way to prove your point. Let me put the same stats in other way. 66% of the times when Indian openersade a 50+ partnership, Indian middle order went on to pile on the agony of the opposition bowlers. While Australia has done it only 44% of the times. Which means that on rest of the occasions Australian middle order let go of the advantage and wasted the good work done by the openers. Howz that?? For all I know, out of those 18 occasions when Australia scored 400 after openers made 50+, probably 10 times openers themselves put up 150 making the middle order's job easy. For all I know, out of 23 times Indian made 400 after openers put up 50, 15 times the openers got out for less than 75. How about that?? When you do an analysis, do a complete one. |
Jigar Mehta
said:
|
... it's very important to see out the first hour and that's the most crucial thing openers do and runs less than 75 doesn't matter even if its a gritty 35-40 it will do, Rahul Dravid's test average is 42.47 while opening compared to 53 which is his career average got the drop? the most imp thing is to set a platform for the middle order, but for sehwag's start we wudn't have chased 387 at chennai isn't it? the analysis was complete! i think ur arguement won't be!! |
Saurabh agrawal
said:
|
... Yes.... For the first time, I agree to you. Opening is definitely the toughest job. That's why I respect Dravid so much becoz as you yourself pointed out, Dravid was always commited to team as a stand-in opener unlike sachin who is a regular opener in ODIs but still could never bring himself to open in tests while Dravid is not a regular opener in any format. It's only with the arrival of gambhir that opening has got a settled look and for that I totally respect him becoz b4 his arrival Dravid at no 3 was as good as an opener. And so it was uncalled for to say that openers shielded Dravid. On one hand saying that aakash chopra shielded Dravid and on other hand conveniently leaving Dravid out from discussion in headingley test... What can I say?? I know this is how statistics work. And I don't blame writer for it. On one hand, I totally respect gambhir, I don't feel the same for Sehwag. Writer has tried to say that Sehwag doesn't get his due. I think he gets more than he deserve. He is not a proper test material. Yes, on his day he can take the game away but you can't really trust him and can't put your money on him. |
Jigar Mehta
said:
|
... As u pointed out Dravid was as good as opener then don't u think we needed someone with the Experience of Sachin Tendulkar to hold the middle order together?????? has any media person pointed out that sachin tendulkar never told noo for opening in tests?? it is all a team strategy brother a single individual doesn't take decisions!!! Speakin of Sehwag, He has two triple centuries,so with no triple centuries in tests is Dravid a test material? yes ofcourse right so give the due where it's due no grudges against you @saurabh but still ur criticism of sachin and sehwag is uncalled for!! |
Ganeshkumar
said:
|
... The article is an eye opener and reveals something that a true cricket lover (not Sachin or Dravid lover) should have it at the back of their minds ... some of the comments exchanged looks as if we are trying to compare "The Sachin" and "The Dravid" which to me is not the point author is trying to make. Sachin and Dravid have their own places and its not a like to like comparison as both have different roles in our team. The point is Indian openers have been doing the tough job and deserve much more as rightly pointed which may not get reflected in statistics. So I rate them as soldiers on our borders |
Saurabh agrawal
said:
|
... Look bro, as far as sachin is considered, I've nothing against him unless someone tries to undermine Dravid in front of him which the writer tried to do. Whole world knows that If someone is shielded in tests it's sachin and not dravid. Sachin never leaves no. 4 position except for night watchman. And no, no media person pointed it out, such things never come out. it's just an assumption by me just like many other fans that it's but natural that if someone has been opener in ODIS for years, then why not make him open the innings in test if need be. No other team plays 3 openers in a line up in tests and odis. Either they have same openers for both formats or if they have different openers, then the test openers don't play odis. Still when in emergency, it's Dravid who opens. It means that either the management thinks that sachin is not good enough to face new ball in tests or sachin himself is not willing which means he is not as committed. in both the cases, it's uncalled for to say that sachin comes just once and Dravid was 'shielded'. There is no basis for these remarks. Sachin is great no doubt but that doesn't mean that dravid can be found in every nook and corner of the country. And sachin is best no. 4 batsman in tests(or may be 2nd best after kallis). Agreed. Sachin is best opener in odis. Agreed. But Dravid is the best no.3 batsman on tests and the fact that he has accumulated 10,000 runs in odis as a floater at no. 3,4,5,6 and sometimes even no. 1,2 and 8, it proves that he was definately something in odis too. So again, I've nothing against sachin but don't blame me if I think that a Dravid will never ever be produced in this country and that it's not Dravid but sachin who is 'shielded'. |
Anand
said:
|
... Very interesting comments from both of you. "Stats never lie", that’s what my guru told me. Guess our teachers also belonged to different schools of thought. The stats presented in this article deal with those innings where Indian team scored 400 and the opening partnership contribution in the same. When the Australians scored 400 and the openers scored 50 on 44% of those occassions, it means in the rest of the innings i.e 56% ,even though the openers did not put on 50, the team scored 400. Where is the issue of the middle order letting go of the advantage and wasting the good work? (guess the stats didnt pitch in your half and bounced over your head. Well, Dravid fans are expected to cope better acknowledging him to be one of the best players of the hook) It stresses the fact that the middle order anchors the ship even on those occassions when the openers havnt laid a platform The figure 50 is an arbitrary number,a number usually expected in the first hour and half: a time when the conditions favour the bowlers slightly(sometimes in the indian subcontinent, the only time!)When the openers should cope, a time by which the new ball gets old and conditions slightly easier to bat.50, 75, 150,.. One could choose any number and still find a non-plausible meaning to the interpretations. Since like we all seem to agree, opening is tough..hence only 50..that itself is quite a good job. Regarding the Natwest finals, most things people hear and talk would be about the start sehwag-ganguly gave or the yuvraj-kaif partnership. It would be so easy to forget the role performed by india's number 5, the all-rounder, without whom a pure batsman (i.e kaif) could never have been played at 7.if one were to not see beyond the usual, then we would have belittled Dravid's contribution. May be, on this topic, we would eat off the same plate. Now flashback to that headingly test. I agree Dravid scored 148, a significant 148 .On the first day, he and Bangar held off the english attack on bowler friendly conditions. next day, the rest of the attack tore into the english attack with big hundreds. how often have people spoken about that bangar innings in the same vein as those dravid, sachin and saurav performances? Isnt it belittling to the opener? And” conveniently leaving Dravid out from discussion in headingley test.”..he got the man of the match..isnt that recognition ? Akash chopra on more than one occasion defied the bowling on the Australian tour to take the shine off the new ball. By meaning “shielding” Dravid, the article meant keeping the number 3 batsman and by consequence, the rest of the batsmen away from the new ball and potential disaster, not Dravid in particular.Even the great Dravid had a very forgettable tour of Australia in 1999 when he was at the wicket very early in practically every innings..maybe Dravid had improved considerably by 2003. . I feel akash chopra also had a very important role . It is the purpose of this article to give a little credit due to the indian openers. Not to indulge in the number name.. who is 1,2,3,4 in the indian middle order..who comes once , is, as you rightly said, subjective, not in the purview of the article. The stats , in particular , and the article ,in general ,only seeks the recognition due to the openers..period..only respect. |
Saurabh agrawal
said:
|
... As far as Sehwag is concerned, if you really think that just becoz he has got 2 triples, he is as good a test player as Dravid then I don't really wanna comment on that. Actually it's a ne'er ending argument. I am a Dravid fan, and laxman admirer, you are a sachin fan and Sehwag admirer, and probably writer shares his likings with you. Everyone is entitled to his favouritism. I'll keep feeling that Dravid and laxman are test heroes for India inspite of all stats and while sachin in my opinion has a greater impact on odis than tests I will always feel Dravid too was an integral part of odi setup. That's my personal feeling and its not gonna change and neither will your opinion change.. So there is nothing really to argue. So... Peace. Cheers. |
Saurabh agrawal
said:
|
... @anand may be I dint come out clear then. When I said rest of the times Australian middle order let go off the advantage, I meant those innings when openers made 50+ but still Australia dint reach 400. So plz dont put words my mouth by saying that dravid fans are supposed to cope better.. It's an old tactic to shut someone up I know. It's like an ent doctor goes for a check up to heart specialist and if he questions the line of treatment, the heart specialist would say being a doctor you shud know and the poor ent guy has to stay quiet from then on. Just read my statement again. I dint say that Australian middle order failed on the rest of 56% occasions. And yeah, our gurus are definitely from different schools. I know how statistics can be bent. A person would say that sachin is not a math saver. India always loses when sachin scores a hundred. Another would say that his team mates fail when he plays. A person wud say that India only lost 4 times when Dravid scored a hundred, another would say that he was lucky others contributed in rest of the matches. That's the game of statistics. They give some idea but they can deceive too. Depends on the talent of statistician. As far as openers are concerned, I agree that they deserve respect. As a Dravid fan, who was always there to open when team required, and who was as good as an opener most of the times unless gambhir arrived in scene, i can't admire enough the role of our Current openers. And i take it that when u called for respect for openers, some part of it was also for dravid who has been india's official opener on many occasions and pseudo-opener on others. I only had objection with 'shielding' Dravid remark and sachin coming just once remark. so as far as openers are concerned we are on the same page. But then again Some feelings are plain subjective. And we can't deny the fact that ultimately they all play for same team with same agenda. So yes, cheers for openers. And cheers for the quartet(including laxman and ganguly who, i have noticed, are always left aside in all forum discussions) |
Jigar Mehta
said:
|
... Bhai log we had a great discussion here cricket fanatics all's well that ends well enjoyed the discussion and analysis @anand @saurabh cheers and nice to connect to cricket fans ! |
Show/hide comment form
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
