5 areas where India can improve before they tour outside the subcontinent

Now that the managerial tussle in the Indian cricket team has come to an end, the focus will completely return to the on-field action which starts tomorrow against Sri Lanka. After playing the majority of their test cricket on home turf last year, Virat Kohli and his men must now prepare for some tough away tours in the coming months.

A series win in West Indies and a journey to the final of the Champions Trophy meant that the Kohli-age had started in Indian cricket. But the biggest test for an Indian team comes when it travels outside the subcontinent.

Here are the five areas where India can improve before they embark on a tour away from the subcontinent.

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#5 Slip cordon

India's slip cordon has come under criticism in the last few years

On the bouncy pitches of Australia and South Africa, a team's slip cordon becomes one of its most important areas. The catches seem to fly off the edge more often than not in those countries.

In the past decade or so, India had a settled slip field which included some of the calmest customers in Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.

But since their retirement, India have failed to build up a bunch of trusted slip fielders who can pouch catches day in day out. Apart from Ajinkya Rahane, no other Indian fielder has looked confident behind the wickets.

Captain Kohli himself has dropped a fair number of catches at first slip in the last few years. The management must work hard on this aspect which will help the bowlers get fruits for their hard earned labour.

#4 Grooming an all rounder like Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is in line to make his test debut

India have lacked a genuine fast bowling all rounder since ages now. Hardik Pandya gives them a chance to experiment with their playing eleven which in turn will give the side a bit more balance.

Virat Kohli recently said that Pandya has a chance of playing in the first test which proves that the management is looking at this option seriously.

Kohli said, "We got a guy like Hardik Pandya, who has a knack of picking wickets. He has a great chance of playing as well. That gives us the balance. The extra batsman gives us more solidarity."

Pandya has been in good touch recently and had a decent previous overseas tour. Before India march on to South Africa in November, this looks as the best possible time for an all rounder like Pandya to make his test debut which might prove to be a shrewd decision in the coming years.

#3 Deciding on the team's number one spinner

Ravindra Jadeja has not done relatively well in foreign tours

Captain Kohli does not seem to be fixated on his best test eleven and on top of that, the spin department has not yet performed according to the expectations. If you cast your mind to some of the previous overseas tours that India went on, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja failed to perform consistently.

Meanwhile, chinaman Kuldeep Yadav has not played enough tests to make a place in the team his own. However, there have been calls from the cricketing fraternity to make Yadav India's premier spinner in all three formats of the game.

Kohli should think about it seriously before the tour of South Africa and the home series against Australia.

#2 Middle order combination

Cheteshwar Pujara has been India's Mr Dependable

For a test team to function efficiently, a solid middle order needs to play at its best. India have a number of star attractions in this area but have not found the best possible combination going forward.

Rohit Sharma has been in and out of the side because of his form and fitness but with him back in the fray, one of the other batsmen might have to satisfy himself with a place in the dressing room.

Karun Nair scored a magnificent triple century last year but still lost his place to the experienced Ajinkya Rahane. India's vice captain scored big in the Caribbean and is now a definite starter.

The likes of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha have their spots fixed but the issue with the one remaining spot must be solved before India leave for their tour of South Africa.

#1 The curious case of opening batsmen

India has not yet zeroed in on a stable opening pair

This is an aspect where India needs some help from their think tank. In the last few years, one or the other opener has failed to click which gives the side an early setback. When Murali Vijay was in good nick, KL Rahul failed or when Rahul looked destined for a big score, Vijay lost his wicket cheaply.

In any overseas test win that India had managed, a strong opening partnership had given a resolute foundation for other batters to build their innings on and amass a big total. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Abhinav Mukund, Murali Vijay and KL Rahul are in the running for two spots of India's openers and now the Indian management has a huge task on their hands to find a stable duo.