Comparing the No. 5 batsmen of the best Test teams

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Michael Clarke, and Steve Waugh were arguably the best No. 5 batsmen in Test cricket. The No. 5 position is a very crucial position in Test cricket and demands flawless technique and a great temperament.

A No. 5 batsman often needs to flexible with his batting style. Based on the situation of the game the No. 5 has to either opt for a cautious approach or attack from ball one in order to get quick runs on the board.

Apart from this, there are many situations wherein the No. 5 has to win or save the game batting alongside tail-enders in the second innings.

Thus, batting at No. 5 is no mean task, and requires a combination of tenacity and a capability to keep the team buoyant. Let us compare the No. 5 batsmen of top 5 Test teams.

#1 India - Ajinkya Rahane

The vice-captain of India in Tests, Ajinkya Rahane has bailed out India from several tough situations with his calm head and calculated batting. He plays spin extremely well - a trait that is required for a batsman batting at No. 5. Against the fast bowlers, Rahane plays the short ball really well and thus was instrumental in the team's best performances on bouncy pitches.

Rahane's dwindling form is a matter of concern for the Indian team management. Having scored just one Test hundred in 2017, Rahane needs to get out of his funk and play positive cricket in the South Africa series starting in January 2018.

Here are his Test career stats :

#2 South Africa - AB de Villiers

One of the best modern-day batsmen, Mr. 360 degrees, AB de Villiers made a comeback to the longer format of the game against Zimbabwe after a break of almost two years. It is very likely that AB would be occupying the No. 5 spot with Faf du Plessis batting above him at No. 4 in the upcoming series against India.

The awe-inspiring batsman has played at No. 5 in Test cricket for the major part of his career and has contributed heavily to South Africa's success. AB is good at using his feet against the spinners and can thrash the fast bowlers with his wide range of shots.

His composure and clear thought process is another factor that makes him a perfect No. 5 batsman in the Test cricket.

His Test career stats are very impressive:

#3 England - Dawid Malan

When England were being rattled by Australia in the ongoing Ashes down under, Dawid Malan stood out with his excellent batting technique and patience. The dogged left-hander played an innings of substance, scoring 56 runs when the Australian bowlers were tormenting the England batsmen in the first Ashes Test.

He has scored two fifties and a massive hundred in the three Ashes Tests so far. Performing well against the likes Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lion speaks volumes about the Malan's batting skills.

Grooming a player like Malan would help England a lot. Here is a glimpse at his Test career stats:

#4 New Zealand - Henry Nicholls

A left-handed wicket-keeper batsman, Nicholls has managed to impress New Zealand selectors with his ability to counterattack and play positive cricket in tough situations. He cemented his place in the side and the No. 5 spot after scoring a brilliant century against South Africa early in 2017.

Nicholls plays an attacking game and does not let the pressure mount. He has played most of his cricket for Canterbury and Sydney Thunder (BBL) which means that he has not been exposed to subcontinental spinner friendly conditions. It would be a test of his batting skills when he faces spinners from India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Here are his Test career stats -

#5 Australia - Shaun Marsh

The Australian No. 5 is a quintessential left-handed batsman who loves to cut and pull the ball. Cool-headed Shaun Marsh is a sweet timer of the ball and has been in sublime touch this Ashes (2017) scoring two half-centuries and one century. He is regarded as an incredible talent who can play spin and fast with equal flair. Marsh is also very flexible with his batting style and can either play the waiting game or attack from ball one.

Marsh's career has been marred by inconsistency. The elegant southpaw is working on improving the same and has been pretty successful in doing so recently.

The Australian team was blessed with two of the best No. 5 batsmen - Steve Waugh and Michael Clarke. Only time will tell whether Marsh is able to match those standards.

Have a look at his Test career stats -