India tour of West Indies: Looking at India's number 3 options in Tests and rating them

As the Indian cricket embarks on the tour to West Indies under captain Virat Kohli and newly appointed coach Anil Kumble, there is a sense of hope and anticipation all around. Many feel that this is the best opportunity to reverse their poor overseas record in the recent past.

Even limited overs skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has delivered a motivational speech to lift the morale of the team.

The players are in relatively good touch and there are plenty of options available for different slots which is like a sweet headache for the captain, coach and the selectors going into the first match of the cricket series.

Much like the bowling, there are many different options available for different batting positions in the batting order. Several players have an eye on different numbers, and this is a good sign for Indian cricket.

Here we look at the top 5 contenders for the much important number 3 position in the batting line-up.

#5 Rohit Sharma

There is no absolutely no doubt that Rohit has claimed his openers slot in white ball cricket. However, there are still many doubts over his test position and test batting.

The fact that he kick-started his test career with two successive centuries and yet his average is 33.18 is a testament to his underachievement in this format. However, Virat Kohli has not given up on him and has tried him at the number 3 position on quite a few occasions. Much like his career the results have been mixed for him.

He has managed to score two half-centuries in this position, one against Australia and one against Sri Lanka. However, his average is a lowly 21.40 in the 5 innings he has played at that position. Will captain Kohli trust him once more in the tour to West Indies remains to be seen, but if gets the nod and Rohit gets going, there are few better sights in cricket! For his unbridled potential and underachieving record we can only give him 4/10.

#4 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli, number 3 and match-winning centuries have all become synonymous but in the limited overs format. However, the Indian skipper has made the number 4 position his own in the longer version, and the question arises if he takes up the mantle and walks out at number 3 in Test Matches too?

He has played at number 3 before, and in the 4 innings, he has walked out at one-drop he has accumulated 90 runs at an average of 30. These are certainly not Virat Kohli numbers, but then he has not been a regular number 3 in Test Matches for India. Will he take the game by the scruff of the neck and be the number 3 batsman in this series and for many other series to come.

He has the ability to face seam and pace up front, as he has a tight defensive technique as well as the counter-attacking game. The ball is firmly in his court and the decision will rest on the captain himself.

He has the game and the aura, but will he gamble on shuffling the batting position. Thus, we give him 5/10.

#3 Ajinkya Rahane

The quintessential team player, Ajinkya Rahane has shown that he can walk on coal for the team. The diminutive Mumbai player is perhaps one of the best Indian batsmen in Test Matches in the recent past. With centuries in England, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and a 96 in South Africa, Rahane has shown that he has the game to combat seam and spin with aplomb.

The right-hander has already a century at number 3 in Sri Lanka, and thus he might be the one Kohli and Kumble bank on in the Caribbean. He has a sound technique and has shown that he also has the game to be successful across all formats.

In the 4 innings, he has played at number 3, Rahane has already a century to his name. He can be a big investment at that position if the team management gives him a go ahead.

We give him 7/10.

#2 KL Rahul

The lanky Karnataka lad, KL Rahul is currently in the midst of a dream run. After a dream Indian Premier League, he continued his form into the Zimbabwe tour and looked to be a man suited for all formats.

Now he returns to the format to which he is ideally suited. In the 5 matches he has played at the highest level, he has already scored two centuries. But his average of 25.62 does not do justice to his potential, probably because he has got for single digits in the other innings.

Rahul should now make sure that he is more consistent at the crease and dishes out scores according to his talent and ability. However, if Shikhar Dhawan opens the innings with Murali Vijay, Rahul might drop down to number 3, which will not be a surprise to anyone.

Being the opener, he should not face many problems to adjust at number 3. Thus we rate him 8/10.

#1 Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara should ideally walk out at number 3, whatever be the scenario. Over the years the Saurashtra batsman has shown that he has the ability and most importantly the temperament to be successful in the longest format.

He has a watertight technique and unflappable temperament, and most important the numbers behind him which proves he remains the best bet in the longest format for India.

In the 44 innings at number 3, Pujara has scored 1988 runs at an impressive average of 47.33. He has faced few rough times currently, but has worked on his game during this time, and there is no reason why he cannot be back to his best.

An in-form Pujara at number 3 makes the batting line up look very solid. Thus, we give him 9/10, as he remains the best bet.