Australia vs India 2018/19: India should open with Pujara in the third Test

It was yet another disappointing show by the Indian openers on the fourth day of the second Test in the ongoing Test series against Australia. KL Rahul misread an inswinger from Mitchell Starc and inside edged the red cherry on to the stumps. KL Rahul, the talented batsman with impeccable technique, has gone out for a duck for the fourth time this year.

Murali Vijay too didn’t last long, scoring 20 runs in his fourth outing this Australian summer. Coming in place of the injured Prithvi Shaw, the Tamil Nadu opener was expected to perform better, given his experience of scoring at the top.

In the two innings of the match, the Indian openers have managed to contribute just 22 runs (Rahul – 2, 0 and Vijay – 0, 20). In Tests outside India in 2018, the average number of runs scored by the first and second wickets is a mere 17 runs. In comparison, the average number of runs added by the 9th and 10th wicket is 18 runs, suggesting how poor India have been at the top of the order.

Prithvi Shaw was the first choice to open the innings before the tour began. He has been ruled out of the series, after suffering an ankle injury while attempting to take a catch on the deep mid-wicket boundary on the third day against the Cricket Australia XI in India’s only warm-up game in Australia. He has been replaced by KL Rahul’s Ranji and IPL teammate Mayank Agarwal, who is coming in with a truckload of runs behind his back.

With KL Rahul having been given a long run and Murali Vijay also not performing up to expectations, it is certain that India would want to open with Mayank Agarwal on the Boxing Day (26th December) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It would be an ideal case for India to open with Cheteshwar Pujara along with Mayank Agarwal.

Cheteshwar Pujara has been in great form of late and has prior experience of opening the innings for the national team. So India would be better off playing two confident batsmen at the top who are having a good run and are eager to express themselves.

The critical number 3 position can then be taken by the Hanuma Vihari, who seems to have the right temperament to bat up the order. Also, Vihari has scored the bulk of his runs at No. 3 and 4 for India A and his Ranji Trophy team in the last two seasons.

Vihari has made most of his first-class runs at the top of the order

With Hardik Pandya back in the squad, India will also have the liberty in choosing their final eleven. He could be accommodated along with the pace trio in the side if the MCG curator offers a pace-friendly pitch. Else, Ravindra Jadeja could be drafted in if the MCG pitch is vulnerable to wear and tear.

In conclusion, India would be better off releasing two of their current openers in KL Rahul and Murali Vijay and bring in a certain pair in Mayank and Pujara for the Boxing Day Test scheduled to begin on the December 26.