IND Vs SL 2017: Team India’s Quest For a Number Six Batsman

Nov 22, 2017 at 7:15 PM

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IND Vs SL 2017: Team India’s Quest For a Number Six Batsman

India almost pulled off an exciting victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Despite, bad weather for the first two days of the Test match, the match ended on an exciting note with the visitors escaping a loss with just three wickets in hand. The match ended due to bad light, and the Sri Lankan team breathes easy as the umpires called it a day.

India Vs Sri Lanka, Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Test Drawn, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami
Players shook hands when umpires brought out the light meters. Photo Credit: BCCI.

Both the teams had some positives and negatives to take out from the match. Virat Kohli’s century will be one of the bright spots for the Indian team to take out from the match. Kohli has scored just two centuries since his double century knock against Bangladesh earlier this year. This was also his first century at home since the Bangladesh knock. With all the pieces falling in place just before India’s away tour starts, the only worrying sign is the number six spot in the batting line up.

Virat Kohli captain of India celebrates his century during day five of the 1st test match between India and Sri Lanka held at Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on the 20th November 2017Photo by Prashant Bhoot / BCCI / Sportzpics

At a green wicket like the one at Eden Gardens in the first Test India went with a combination of three fast bowlers and two spinners. In total, the spinners bowled just ten overs, Ashwin bowling eight in the first innings and Ravindra Jadeja is bowling one each in both the innings.

In the first innings, India management sent Ravichandran Ashwin to bat at the number six position ahead of Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin managed to score just four runs in the first innings. In the second innings, Ravindra Jadeja was sent at the number six spot, but he failed to impress as well scoring just nine runs.

India Vs Sri Lanka, Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Test Drawn, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami
Surprisingly, Jadeja bowled just two overs in Kolkata Test. Image Courtesy: Twitter

India’s wicketkeeper-batsman, Saha was the highest scorer out of all the three contenders in the XI scoring 38 runs in the match. However, the team’s combination affects the choice of batsmen playing at the number six spot. India has also picked up Rohit Sharma in the 15 member squad, and he is looking forward to making a solid impression just like he has done in the One Day format. Rohit who opens the innings in the limited overs format has failed to impress while batting lower down the order in the Test format.

Looking at the vulnerability of the Indian batting line up in the Test format on away tours, Rohit’s inclusion to the playing XI can play a pivotal role in team India’s success in the upcoming streak on away series.

(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images

Another player who can find a place for himself to at the number six spot is India’s primary all-rounder Hardik Pandya who has been rested for the ongoing series. Pandya impressed with the bat in the longest format while playing in Sri Lanka as he scored his first Test century in the island nation.

However, at places like South Africa, England and Australia where wickets support pace, bounce and swing going with a specialist batsman like Rohit Sharma will be beneficial for the Indian team.

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