Australia vs India, 4th test: Why India should play Hanuma Vihari as an opener even if KL Rahul makes it in the eleven

Though Ravichandran Ashwin was surprisingly included in the 13-man squad for the Sydney test, Virat Kohli all but ruled out the possibility of the off-spinner being included in the playing eleven during his pre-match media conference.

His effusive praise for Hanuma Vihari as a bowling option has clearly hinted at the fact that India will most likely go with four front-line bowlers with Vihari as the fifth bowler. This also means that Kuldeep Yadav will most likely sit out this match as well.

In all likelihood, KL Rahul will replace Rohit Sharma who is on a paternity leave and Umesh Yadav will take the place of an injured Ishant Sharma. With Rahul in the side, it is expected that he will form India’s new opening pair in Sydney in the company of Mayank Agarwal.

However, a case can be made for Hanuma Vihari to be continued as India’s opener even with two regular openers in the side. This could help India in the following ways:

Firstly, as he has shown in his two innings as an opener in Melbourne, Vihari may be susceptible to bouncers directed at his body, but he has the temperament and technique to withstand the onslaught for sufficient period of time to blunt the new ball attack.

Though he may not score many runs, by occupying the crease for some duration, he not only ensures India do not lose an early wicket, but also protects the middle order stalwarts, the likes of Pujara and Kohli, from facing the new cherry.

This is not to say that if Rahul opens, he is certain to be dismissed early. He is one of India’s most talented batsmen, but his recent form and temperament suggest that the chances of him occupying the crease for a significant amount of time is probably less than that of Vihari.

Moreover, instead of coming to the crease when the bowlers are fresh and the ball is new, if Rahul comes in at number six, the ball would be quite old and the bowlers will no longer be fresh. So, he could take advantage of that situation and score big.

And if he happens to come to the crease when the second new ball is due, then that would surely be advantage India, as the team would have batted 80 overs for the loss of just four wickets by then and him being an opening batsman can come in handy at that time.

So, even though the conventional wisdom may suggest that India should open with the two regular openers in Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul, a slightly left field idea of sticking with Vihari as an opener in Sydney might benefit India more.