India’s Test number 3 conundrum

India’s Test number 3 conundrum: Ever since Rahul Dravid retired from the red ball Cricket, we haven’t had an able replacement at No.3 position just yet, have we? There are quite a few names that now show the prospect or are projected to take up the role, which Dravid played so meticulously for over a decade.

Here we anatomize India’s Test number 3 conundrum:

The case of Cheteshwar Pujara:

I mean, yes, Cheteshwar Pujara did provide us with a glimmer hope of filling the biggest of shoes in World Cricket and yes, he has done pretty well as a no.3 in his short career so far. Averaging almost 50 in 28 Test matches that also include 6 half centuries and 7 big ones. It is a commendable performance by any standard and that deserves praising.

But, even then, the Saurashtra batsman is struggling to become a regular in Virat Kohli led Indian side. Why?

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Over the last couple of years, the Indian side has played a lot of overseas Test Cricket. This has included a trip to South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia and Cheteshwar Pujara, at no.3, hasn’t looked the same. Averaging a whopping 117 in India, Pujara averages 20.25 in England, 21 in South Africa and New Zealand while, 23 in Australia!

That kind of average, for a batsman who is supposed to be technically as good as Rahul Dravid is horrible. The 27-year-old’s deficiencies in the English conditions, against the quality swing bowling, was for everyone to see. The Australian tour didn’t prove to be any different either, Pujara more often than not looked confused in the middle while, getting castled, proved to be his pet way of getting out. That does raise several questions for a No.3 regarding his technique, isn’t it?

I mean, it wasn’t like the conditions were unplayable throughout. Look at someone like Murali Vijay at the top of the order, who showed everyone the way to tackle the fast bowling overseas. A change was probably needed, but the important question was, who would replace Pujara?

Virat Kohli seemed like an ideal player who could have done the job, but why mess around with his position when he has established himself as a solid no.4? So, the other option was naturally the talented, the enigmatic Rohit Sharma!

The enigma – Rohit Sharma:

With just 14 Test matches under his belt and an average of 38, Rohit Sharma has been at the fringes of the Test side for a long time now. His ability to score effortlessly with some of the most beautiful shots you would ever see from a right hander and then get out the very next ball with shots that would embarrass a tail-ender is one of his qualities that’s quite unmatched around the world.

The fact that he opens for us in the limited overs Cricket seemed to be the reason he was tried as a replacement to Pujara in the Sri Lankan Test series with a hope that he would be equipped enough to counter the swing. The Mumbaikar failed against the likes of Dhammika & co. in the first Test and was eventually moved back to the 5th position. He did considerably well down the order, I can’t say I didn’t see it coming, though!

The Classy Rahane:

Next up it was Ajinkya Rahane, another Mumbai batsman, who, naturally is an opener and obviously more technically gifted than Rohit who was tried at the position. Result? A classy century against some brilliant Lankan bowling!

Now, Ajinkya Rahane is one of those players who averages the same both home and away. Equipped with a very good technique and a wide range of shots, Ajinkya Rahane is an ideal mix of aggression and control, the perfect candidate for the no.3 spot. But, in my humble opinion, I say we should stick with him at no.5. Reason? Rahul Dravid puts it perfectly:

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“I think he is best at no.5. I think he would be a very good no 4 and no.5 batsman in Test. I am not saying he won’t be a good no.3 because he batted there, but the success he had at no.5, his ability to bat with the tail and the range of shots he has, makes him a very good no.5, also his ability to play the second new ball. Obviously he (Rahane) is required to bat at whatever position his team needs. But for me no.5 is the position where he will probably do best in Tests.”

There are two important points that can be taken out of it:

1-    Rahane’s ability to bat with the tail

2-    And his ability to tackle the second new ball (remember he used to be an opener)

Those two points, almost make you think of VVS Laxman, doesn’t it? He batted in the same position, and those were two of his most important qualities that made him such a success at the International level. Ajinkya Rahane is more or less the same. There’s no need to tinker with his batting position when he can make that slot his own for next few years at least.

I don’t think even Virat Kohli or Ravi Shastri intend to use him as a no.3 anyway. It was more of the question of injuries that led to his promotion up the batting order. Come the South Africa series, and you will probably see Rahane at his usual no.5.

So, where does that leave us and our conundrum of no.3?

Is KL Rahul an option?

The Karnataka batsman has already scored a couple of hundreds in his short career so far and has looked good enough to force his way into our starting eleven. But will he be starting for us at no.3 on November 5?

I say, with a fit Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay and against a side boasting the likes of Steyn and Morkel, Team India will probably go with an experienced campaigner up the order which means one of Pujara or Rohit will make the cut. The Saurashtra batsman has shown his qualities against Dhammika & co. in the last Test, scoring a century in difficult conditions, an innings that was described by Kohli as one of the best knocks he had ever seen.

Pujara’s record in the sub-continent condition is for everyone to see, and I think we should probably stick with a dependable Pujara rather than an erratic Rohit Sharma for the time being. Maybe, with more experience, Pujara will learn to score runs on tour too. Right now, he is the best option we have for the slot!