India's opening riddle: Question sans answer for Kohli and Co

KOLKATA: 2.4, 1.3, 4.4, 3.3 and 5.1. These are not Richter-scale readings of the last five earthquakes around the world, nor are they the start of a numeric-progression question from a practice paper for this year’s Common Admission Test.

What these numbers actually depict are the overs that the Indian openers have survived together in their last five ODIs; a solid indicator of the fact that despite a run of success, the Indian juggernaut has been a victim of starting troubles.

The beginning of the sixth over of the second ODI at Eden Gardens serves as an adequate example of this issue. Australia’s Nathan Coulter-Nile and Pat Cummins were unleashing a Phlegethon directed at and outside the off-stump, with the pitch providing enough encouragement to do so.

In that view — and in line with the general building-up-to-a-crescendo approach that India have followed with the bat — conservation of wickets should have been a prerogative. But, Rohit Sharma went for an expansive drive against Coulter-Nile, only to see a toe-edge balloon back into the pacer’s hands. Though Ajinkya Rahane, who did show restraint to end up with a solid half-ton, and Virat Kohli salvaged the situation, an abstemious approach from Rohit could have pre-empted this.

The deep-seated nature of this ailment reveals itself through a cursory glance of how the Men in Blue’s batting vanguard has performed in the 50-over format since the end of the Champions Trophy. In the 12 matches including Thursday’s clash in this period, all three possible combinations between Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit have been made use of.

From an individual point of view, the three batsmen’s numbers are quite healthy. Rohit has notched up 337 runs at an average of 56.16 in seven matches, Dhawan has collected 351 runs 43.87 in nine, and Rahane has accrued 401 runs at an average of 50.12 in eight. But it is only when you analyse the prize that the Indian team puts on the first wicket that the true nature of this problem emerges.

The Rahane-Dhawan pairing — made use of during the tour of West Indies — has tasted most success, with 272 runs in five outings at a run-rate of 5.53. Without the first two matches in the island nation, those numbers nosedive to 26 runs at a run-rate of 4.46. The next-best combine of Dhawan and Rohit has mustered 147 runs in four innings at a run-rate of 6.08 during their time in Sri Lanka. Remove the second ODI in Kandy, and these statistics are mangled to 38 runs at a run-rate of 4.38.

The last coupling, of Rahane and Rohit, has pottered around in three innings against Sri Lanka and Australia and has only 47 runs to show for those meanderings, that too at a run-rate of 3.52.

That the Australian pace-battery exposed this ailment that has been refusing to subside is yet another cause for concern for the Indian team. Especially when taking into consideration that this further exacerbates the other niggles that Kohli & Co have at the moment, particularly an in-flux middle-order that is yet to hit a purple patch.

Maybe Dhawan’s return to the contingent after the third ODI will serve as a remedy, considering that he and Rohit have been a force to contend with at the top (they’re India’s third-best opening pair in terms of runs).

Indore, though, is only two days away. That the Australian pace-battery exposed this ailment that has been refusing to subside is yet another cause for concern for the Indian team. Especially when taking into consideration that this further exacerbates the other niggles that Kohli & Co have at the moment, particularly an in-flux middle-order that is yet to hit a purple patch.