5 Indian players who should focus solely on Tests

Michael Bevan was one of Australia’s best ODI players, but failed to adapt to the other formatsSome analytical pieces start with metaphors, some start with judgments. I want to start this one with an apology. When you pick five players and request them to stick to the longer format of the game, you don’t mean to tell them they’re bad at the others.The game has seen legends in one format, only to be mediocre in another – the case of Michael Bevan comes to mind first. Dhoni wasn’t an exceptional Test player either and the selfless great that he has been, noticed that before anyone else and decided to take a firm call.There are some genius players who seem to excel at every format of the game – Steve Smith, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli come to mind. There are some who have the potential, without the stats, like Ajinkya Rahane.However, at times, for the sake of their own career and to enhance their longevity in one format of the game, some players could start focussing on Tests instead of meddling with everything. Here are 5 Indians who have been reasonably good in other formats at times, but are well-served to focus on Tests along going forward.

#1 Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay

He is referred to, by some as ‘The Monk’, a moniker that is going to stick to him if he has another year in Test cricket like the one he had last year. Vijay’s international career has always been stop-start having blossomed at a time when India had an impregnable batting order.

Now 31 and a half years old to be specific, Vijay is India’s first choice Test opener in all conditions. A swashbuckling batsman who still averages 25 in Twent20 at a strike-rate of 121, Vijay has changed his game phenomenally in the last couple of years to suit Test cricket. He leaves the ball amazingly well and though capable of playing most authentic cricketing shots, from the gorgeous drive and cut to the pull and flick off the pads, Vijay has cut down the risk.

That has translated into tons of runs as well. He has 3003 runs in 76 innings at an average of 40.04, scoring three centuries and eight half-centuries in the two years before 2016. Coming during a time when he opened consistently, away from home, in places like South Africa, Australia and England, those numbers are pretty impressive.

Vijay had opportunities in the ODI side, but he averages just 21.18 in 16 innings with a single half-century. Given he has about 5 years of cricket left in him in the minimum (without a career threatening injury), Vijay has a genuine opportunity to put his names amongst Indian Test greats. As long as he doesn’t lose focus!

#2 Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara

India and cricket both need Cheteshwar Pujara to be fit and firing from No.3. At close to 28 years, he isn’t exactly a youngster anymore, having lost a lot of time to the Indian first class system. He was never going to be a glamour boy. His game is built on the assumption that the flamboyant batsmen need the ones who can be boring, conventional and safe.

The reason given to keep Pujara out of the Test team where he actually belonged is that he is too slow. So, if his skipper for at least the next few years thinks he is slow for Test cricket, imagine what they make of him in the ODI setup. One man Rahul Dravid, with a similar game and similar stamp, proved everyone wrong by scoring more than 10000 runs in ODI cricket. But, as much as Pujara would like to emulate his idol, that goal would be pushing it.

In 40 Tests, he has accumulated 3117 runs at 50.27 with ten centuries and ten half-centuries. In 5 ODIs, he has 51 runs. Before 2016, he has been India’s fourth most prolific run-getter in Tests with 1038 runs at 38. However, his game built on toughness needs to remain that way, unadulterated so Indian Test cricket is well-served.

By pushing for opportunities in T20 and ODI, Pujara will only be making changes to his batting that will affect his place even in the Test side. On the other hand, with a solid game, he can aim for 10000 Test runs, which is still within his reach and ‘still’ slips pretty fast sometimes.

#3 Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma burst onto the scene as India’s next big thing in a country starved of intimidating fast bowlers. He managed to intimidate Ricky Ponting in Australia, a statement on his resume, very few fast bowlers can boast of. He lost the zing for a while, but he is back now and how. To add to that, he has corrected a defect that has plagued him from the start of his career – the ability to put the wrist right behind the seam and delivery the ball with the seam up.

In that last two years, he has been India’s most prolific Test bowler, with 56 wickets in 14 Tests at 32.69. He is the only Indian bowler to take 4 five-wicket hauls in the last two years, Ashwin coming close with three. He is also the workhorse having bowled 533 overs, the only Indian bowler by some margin to cross 500.

Ishant’s Test bowling is on the rise and that is good for India, especially when they travel to bouncy lands like South Africa and Australia. In current form, he’ll be a handful even in England. Ishant has played 76 ODIs picking 106 wickets at 31.25 with an economy of 5.69. He is not worse than India’s present ODI fast bowling options – Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Varun Aaron. Mohammad Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are obviously a class apart.

However, Ishant is better of saving himself for Test cricket where he can easily eclipse Javagal Srinath as India’s second best fast bowler. He has 200 wickets, slow considering he has played 65 Tests, but fast considering he is just 27 years old. If he sticks to the present form for a few years, greatness beckons him warmly. In a country where not many fast bowlers managed more than 200 wickets, Ishant Sharma can leave a legacy.

#4 Amit Mishra

Amit Mishra

Amit Mishra has 74 wickets in 21 Tests along with three half-centuries down the order. He has 64 wickets in 36 ODIs. He is one of the most wanted Indian spinners in IPL and most successful. Amit Mishra is 33 years old and isn’t exactly the fittest of Indian cricketers. But, a leg-spinner with a terrific googly and the ability to guts it out with the bat – what’s not to like?

Amit Mishra can be India’s second spinner at home and with 15 wickets in three Tests against Sri Lanka last year he has ensured he’ll get a few games in India’s long home season starting with South Africa’s arrival. The art of Test spin bowling is in attacking while in the shorter formats it is more about defending. While some like Anil Kumble knew what it takes in any format or situation, Amit Mishra will do well to hold on to his Test spot which involves preserving his reputation as a wicket-taking leg-spinner.

Although fitness is not exactly a problem at the moment, it will be in a year or two given he is on the wrong end of 30. India will be well-served with Mishra complementing an off-spinner like Ravichandran Ashwin to relive the magic of Kumble and Harbhajan bowling in tandem!

#5 Wriddhiman Saha

Wridhiman Saha

Saha almost ran the risk of ending us as India’s most well-known backup Test wicket-keeper. That is really not a legacy, especially if you’ve been No.2 to a man who was an immovable pillar in Indian cricket, still is. So, when MS Dhoni retired prematurely, Saha had the most to benefit. He did well with some critical half-centuries in recent times, but he needs to do more, given the difference between Dhoni and him, was a lot more than between him and the next, Naman Ojha.

Saha is lucky, Dinesh Karthik, same age as him has lost himself in the wilderness and Sanju Samson is yet to prove his credentials beyond the shorter format of the game. There is Robin Uthappa who has already been considered as a short-format wicket-keeper. With so much competition, Saha needs to hold on to his Test spot instead of coveting anything more.

In 20 Tests, he has 733 runs at 28.19 . 32 years of age, Saha deserves at least three to four years of Test cricket for his long wait but now that the opportunity is there, will he be clear minded enough to grab it is the question.

Saha averages 13.66 in 5 innings but to confuse him is a decent Twenty20 career where in 128 games, he averages 25 with a strike-rate of 131 including a century. But, can he take the right call for himself and for Indian Test team?