- Opening Combination:
Last time, when India toured South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia, a major reason behind the dismal performances were the numbers churned out by the openers. Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay in most cases faltered big time which meant there was no solid start right at the top. Off late, KL Rahul and Vijay have emerged as a decent opening pair with both individuals complementing each other quite well. While Rahul can be the aggressor, India will need Vijay’s ever solid and calm mindset to succeed in the delicate conditions of England and South Africa. The pair though still need to be wary around the corridor of uncertainty, Rahul especially. The backup to them can be Parthiv Patel, as he too can be relied upon to come in at some point of time.
A good start right at the top outside the sub-continent will make the job of the middle-order far simpler as the venom of the shining red ball will be negated.