File photo of Shubman Gill during the ICC World Test Championship final between Australia and India on June 10, 2023 | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Like the body of an insect (as we learned in biology class at school), the bat organism is divided into three parts: the opening, the middle order, and the tail (insects have a head, thorax, and abdomen). Each has a specific role and requires different skill sets.
The opening batsmen (one right-handed, one left-handed in an ideal XI) are like spies sent to survey the ground, informing those in the pavilion about the nature of the pitch, the quality of the bowling and the type of bowling to be bowled. telling. Shots that will be profitable.
In the inspiring words of Mike Marcucci, the opener The same percentage / Play different rhythms, / Following our own sequence / Of stressed and relaxed beats / Each of us following our own departure from the norm /
The job description includes elements such as a lot of patience, the ability to read the swing and the courage to bring the new ball to its best with the bowlers. Great openers like Sunil Gavaskar were able to put away the bad ball even in the midst of a defensive innings.
‘Team Engine Room’
The middle order from Nos. 4 to 7 is the team’s engine room, with batsmen (at least one of whom is a left-hander) capable of playing dual roles, either defense or attack, against a varied bowling line-up, and handling the job. . Making sure that a good start is built upon or a bad start is compensated for.
These slots are for all-rounders. Currently the best players in the world bat at No.4 – Joe Root, Virat Kohli, Steven Smith. No.6 and 7 have to be ready for the second new ball as well, so it’s a specialization within a specialization.
So what about No. 3, in some ways the most important batting position, the link between the top and the middle, and often the home of the best batsman in the team? Don Bradman, Wally Hammond, Brian Lara, Viv Richards and Jacques Kallis batted at number three. But the most successful at that position (overall) have been Kumar Sangakkara, Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting.
adaptability
Adaptability is the key for the No. 3 batsman. He may have to face the second ball of the innings or may have to wait for a day and a half before walking out to bat. Waiting can be frustrating and every player has their own way of dealing with it. He has to be ready at all times – as soon as the toss is won, or as soon as the opponents’ innings ends. He sets the pace – attacking the bowlers, or absorbing the pressure to make it easier for the middle order. It’s no coincidence that some of the most successful No.3 batsmen have led their countries – taking responsibility and creating the atmosphere is a big part of the job.
Several months ago, this column made a case for following two legends – Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara – in grooming Shubman Gill as India’s No.3. A more imaginative selection committee would have named him vice-captain for next month’s tour of the West Indies where India will play two Tests. He is clearly a man of the future, and he might as well be ready when the future arrives. Gill has the stroke, the defense and the temperament to change from one to the other as the situation demands.
India will then open with Rohit Sharma and talented left-armer Yashasvi Jaiswal, each of whom can be given freedom to play their natural game (India should consider some buzzball style), Gill, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have to follow. ,
Of course, India can play it safe by sticking to the tried and tested order to reduce the pressure on potential newcomers. But sometimes excessive caution can be just as dangerous as taking risks. The middle ground here lies through imagination and creativity, two elements that should not be the enemy of sensible team selection.
There is an apparent positional fluidity in modern Test cricket which can be a result of white-ball cricket. In an edition of Total Football, former coach Greg Chappell tried to bring this flexibility into the Indian team by training the batsmen to play any position in white-ball cricket. But his best batsman Sachin Tendulkar was unhappy and he
Batsmen prefer to stick to the position where they are most comfortable and productive, being conscious of what is expected of each slot.