5 batsmen whose career changed after changing batting position

Jun 28, 2016 at 7:16 PM

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5 batsmen whose career changed after changing batting position

Experiments have always been a part and parcel of this beautiful game. While some experiments have backfired, the other have changed the game forever. Changing the batting position of some players is one of them. There are numerous players who excelled in the game only after changing their batting position.

Here we are having a look at players who became successful after changing their batting position:

1. Tilakratne Dilshan:

After starting his career with a bang by scoring an unbeaten 163 against Zimbabwe in his first series in November 1999, Dilshan’s careerdid not take off until he switched his batting position to become  one of the most destructive openers in the modern era. Dilshan began Tests as a middle-order batsman but then started to open the innings from  2009. The move paid immediate dividends, as he hit six hundreds and scored 1327 runs at an average of 64.52, in the year.
Post the promotion as a regular opener in all the three formats in 2009, Dilshan had a career defining moment during that year. He scored an astonishing 11 centuries in all the formats in that year, and was named as ICC T20 player of the series in the 2009 World T20 for being the top scorer of the tournament.

2. Justin Langer:

55322029-Justin Langer
One of the most successful Australian opener, Langer had very contrasting two halves in his career. While the second half witnessed one of the best modern era openers,  his first half in cricket was not a fruitful one. He failed to live up to the expectations repeatedly despite a lot of chances.The legendary opener  played only eight Tests in his first six years in international cricket.

However, his fortune changed after he was promoted to open the innings.He was a number three batsman until 2001 when he was dropped after failing to convert a series of starts during Australia’s 2–1 loss in India. Shortly after he replaced Michael Slater as an opening batsman for the final 2001 Ashes series Test at The Oval where he celebrated his return with a brilliant century. After that match he did not get dropped again and as an opening batsman he averaged 52.38 and scored 14 centuries in 44 matches.


3. Sachin Tendulkar:

One of the greatest exponent of the game, Sachin Tendulkar started his career as a middle order batsman. In his 70 th ODI match against in 1994 against New Zealand, he was forced to open the innings because Navjot Singh Sidhu was injured and no one else in the team was keen to open.The move changed his and India’s fortune forever as he went on to become one of the greatest ODI player of all time.
He scored 82 off 49 balls – a strike rate of 167.34 – in that match in which no other batsman who faced more than 12 balls managed a rate of 75.
From the moment he started opening, his ODI career graph took a huge leap and remained high almost throughout his illustrious career. From March 27, 1994, which was the first time he opened, he averaged 47.08 in 394 matches, at a strike rate of 87.71. During this period he didn’t open the batting in 50 matches, and in those games his average fell to 36.70.


4. Virender Sehwag:


One of the most attacking batsman the world has ever witnessed, Sehwag made his debut as a middle-order batsman. Although he started his test career on a superb note after scoring 105 off 173 balls – in a 220-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar – outscoring his idol during certain periods of play, it was only after he was promoted to open the innings, he became a different batsman altogether. Earlier, he showed his potential as an opener after scoring his maiden ODI ton in only 69 balls against Sri Lanka as an opener.

With Ganguly’s injury in the India-England ODI Series in January 2002, Sehwag received another opportunity to open the innings. He justified the decision, with a magnificient innings of 82. After that there was no looking back as he went after the bowling match after match, and ended his ODI career with a strike rate above 100, and an average of 35.05, while in Tests, he scored at a brilliant average of 53 as opener, making his promotion possibly one of the best changes made in an Indian batting lineup.

5. Sanath Jayasuriya:

The decision to promote Sanath Jayasuriya as an opener changed the game forever. Batting in ODI cricket, in the eighties and early nineties, followed a monotonous order- playing the new ball cautiously and then launch an attack towards the end. However, that changed forever when Jayasuriya started to open the innings.  Jayasuriya, who was considered a bowler who could bat a bit in his early days, went all out against the bowlers during the first 15 overs when only two fielders were allowed outside the 30 yard circle. The ploy was later adapted by almost every nation.
The maverick left-hander held the records for the fastest fifty (against Pakistan in 17 balls), fastest 100 (against Pakistan in 48 balls) and fastest 150 (against England in 95 balls) in ODI cricket. It took 19  long years to surpass his record of fastest 50 . He is still the only batsman in cricket history with two consecutive scores of 150+ in ODIs.

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