All through this test series, batting has been India’s biggest issue and while the bowlers have given India some great chances to defeat the Proteas, batting only ended up letting the team down.
Besides Virat Kohli, no one lived up to their potentials or has helped the team to put up any sort of fight against the South African attack which has been all over the Indian batting lineup. This series loss is surely a courtesy of the batsmen while bowlers have bowled their hearts out and have garnered all the appreciation.
The biggest of all problems for India has been the unsuccessful opening combinations. None of the openers has really got going in this series and that has added to India’s batting woes. India has tried Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul along with Murali Vijay who has been a constant throughout the test series.
HERE IS WHAT THE INDIAN TOP ORDER HAS ACHIEVED IN THIS SERIES SO FAR
- Shikhar Dhawan
Played just one game. He was dropped from the team after failing miserably in the Cape Town test. Dhawan scored just 16 runs each innings of the Cape Town test and KL Rahul has replaced him in the subsequent tests. He has averaged 16 in this test series.
2. Murali Vijay
He has featured in all three matches for India and he was being looked upon as possibly the best opener to suit the overseas conditions. But he has not been at his best and has been in a rather miserable form throughout the series.
His scores in this series have been: 1, 13, 46,9 and then 8 in the first innings at the Wanderers. His average in this series so far is 15.4 which is way too poor.
3. KL Rahul
KL Rahul was brought in to replace Shikhar Dhawan after his dismal show in the first test. But KL Rahul has been a greater disappointment than Shikhar Dhawan. KL Rahul’s scores in this series have been of 10,4 and 0. His average so far in this series is 4.6 which again is very poor.
4. Cheteshwar Pujara
He has shown a lot of fighting intent but that does not really reflect in his performance along this series. Getting run out of the first ball in the first innings of the Centurion Test was rather an unforgivable mistake. He got a fighting 50 in the first innings in the first innings of the Johannesburg test.
So far in this series, Pujara has had scores of 26, 4, 0, 19 and 50 which makes his average roughly 20.
5. Virat Kohli
The Indian captain is the only one who has lived to his world-class repute. Virat Kolhi has been the only batsman who has looked in form. So far Virat is the leading run-getter in this series. Kohli got a brilliant century at Centurion on his way to a staggering knock of 153. He also top scored for India in the first innings at the Wanderers.
Image Source: rediff.com
In this series, in the 5 innings, he has had scores of 5, 28, 153,5 and 54. He averages 49.
