Big stands despite shuffles heartening for India

NEW DELHI: India’s consistency have seen their rise to No 1 in Test rankings, but the performances have come despite a constant shuffle in the playing eleven. Nowhere has it been more pronounced than the top order, where KL Rahul, Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhaw an have taken turns with injury or form keeping one of them on the sidelines.

However, one batsman or the other has delivered the goods, posting big total sand partnerships. On Saturday, it was opener Murali Vijay (155) and skipper Vi rat K oh li(156n.o) who amassed a 283-run third-wicket stand.

Cheteshwar Pujara was the pivot in the Nagpur Test where his century stands with Kohl ia nd Vijay helped India crush Sri Lank a by an innings and 239 runs.

Assistant coach Sanjay Bangar feels playing five batsmen to allow for the selection of five bowlers has led to a change in the mindset. “That is something the batsmen have taken it upon themselves. In the last 2-1/2-3 years, the team management under Virat’s leadership has opted to make some difficult choices, like play with five batsmen. The kind of development the lower order has shown allows us to play with five batsmen.

“But the onus is also on the five batsmen, whoever gets in wants to make it big. That is something they have embraced really well. Hence you will find they have converted most of the hundreds into really big hundreds.”

The partnership planning was evident in the Kohli-Vijay stand. Once Kohli arrived, Vijay chose to rotate the strike and let him dominate. But once the opener got closer to his century, Kohli took a back seat. In Nagpur, it was Pujara’s turn to play anchor.

On the eve of the Test, Vijay pointed out the team planning when he said a change in partner could unsettle the in-form batsman and hence it was important to sort that out with good communication. How India plan and execute partnerships could define their tours of South Africa, England and Australia in 2018.