Importance of #6 batsmen in South Africa

[Trichromatic]

Partnership averages for visiting teams in last 10 years in South Africa

 

Overall figures

Wkt	Partners	Span	Inns	NO	Runs	High	Ave	100	50
5	52	2008-2017	79	0	2891	233	36.59	5	16
3	46	2008-2017	83	1	2808	222	34.24	4	15
4	43	2008-2017	82	2	2728	184	34.10	7	8
1	23	2008-2017	84	1	2476	184	29.83	6	11
6	54	2008-2017	78	1	2221	399	28.84	6	5
2	38	2008-2017	83	0	2350	205	28.31	3	12
7	58	2008-2017	77	2	1748	172	23.30	2	7
8	57	2008-2017	75	1	1157	117	15.63	1	1
9	59	2008-2017	74	1	1019	106	13.95	1	4
10	59	2008-2017	69	3	786	59	11.90	0	2

 

Average is highest for 5th wicket even in last 5 years

 

Overall figures

Wkt	Partners	Span	Inns	NO	Runs	High	Ave	100	50
5	28	2013-2017	43	0	1780	233	41.39	4	8
3	24	2013-2017	46	1	1700	222	37.77	2	10
4	25	2013-2017	45	1	1319	184	29.97	2	6
2	21	2013-2017	46	0	1372	205	29.82	2	7
6	29	2013-2017	43	1	1189	399	28.30	1	4
1	15	2013-2017	47	1	1171	126	25.45	2	6
7	31	2013-2017	42	2	737	69	18.42	0	2
8	31	2013-2017	40	1	554	43	14.20	0	0
10	31	2013-2017	36	0	427	59	11.86	0	1
9	31	2013-2017	39	0	380	64	9.74	0	1

 

 

Look at the number of century and half century partnerships. It's so crucial who do we play at no 6 in SA.

 

Who is going to be our 6th batsman in SA? Saha? Pandya? Do we go in with only 5 batsmen?

 

[Trichromatic]

Overall figures

Wkt	Partners	Span	Inns	NO	Runs	High	Ave	Overs	RR	100	50
5	20	2013-2017	32	0	1553	233	48.53	484.5	3.20	4	7
3	18	2013-2017	35	1	1166	222	34.29	379.4	3.07	1	7
2	15	2013-2017	35	0	1192	205	34.05	399.0	2.98	2	6
6	22	2013-2017	32	1	988	399	31.87	232.2	4.25	1	2
4	18	2013-2017	34	1	1039	184	31.48	358.0	2.90	2	4
1	9	2013-2017	35	0	887	126	25.34	297.4	2.97	2	4
7	20	2013-2017	31	2	579	69	19.96	160.5	3.60	0	1
8	23	2013-2017	29	1	480	43	17.14	137.2	3.49	0	0
10	23	2013-2017	28	0	345	59	12.32	83.3	4.13	0	1
9	22	2013-2017	28	0	331	64	11.82	90.4	3.65	0	1

 

 

Difference is higher if we don't include WI, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

[Lannister]

But how many of those resulted in wins? We need to take that account as well, but its no doubt, majority of runs need to come from our middle order batsmen.

One of Ashwin and Pandya need to perform well. 

[Trichromatic]

16 minutes ago, Lannister said:

But how many of those resulted in wins? We need to take that account as well, but its no doubt, majority of runs need to come from our middle order batsmen.

One of Ashwin and Pandya need to perform well. 

Even in won matches:

 

Overall figures

Wkt	Partners	Span	Inns	NO	Runs	High	Ave	Overs	RR	100	50
5	6	2014-2016	6	0	459	233	76.50	111.5	4.10	2	1
4	5	2014-2016	8	1	487	184	69.57	150.4	3.23	2	1
2	4	2014-2016	8	0	412	205	51.50	120.4	3.41	1	2
3	5	2014-2016	8	0	384	79	48.00	109.5	3.49	0	4
1	2	2014-2016	8	0	294	123	36.75	72.1	4.07	1	2
6	6	2014-2016	6	1	165	51	33.00	39.4	4.15	0	1
8	4	2014-2016	5	1	121	43	30.25	29.3	4.10	0	0
7	3	2014-2016	5	0	107	48	21.40	25.4	4.16	0	0
10	4	2014-2016	4	0	65	36	16.25	15.0	4.33	0	0
9	3	2014-2016	4	0	16	14	4.00	6.1	2.59	0	0

 

Won and Drawn combined

 

Overall figures

Wkt	Partners	Span	Inns	NO	Runs	High	Ave	Overs	RR	100	50
6	8	2013-2016	10	1	641	399	71.22	130.1	4.92	1	1
3	7	2013-2016	13	1	772	222	64.33	219.2	3.51	1	5
5	7	2013-2016	10	0	615	233	61.50	157.4	3.90	2	3
4	6	2013-2016	12	1	565	184	51.36	179.3	3.14	2	1
2	6	2013-2016	13	0	570	205	43.84	184.5	3.08	1	4
1	4	2013-2016	13	0	413	123	31.76	118.5	3.47	1	3
7	5	2013-2016	9	2	168	48	24.00	52.0	3.23	0	0
8	6	2013-2016	7	1	136	43	22.66	34.1	3.98	0	0
10	6	2013-2016	6	0	83	36	13.83	17.4	4.69	0	0
9	5	2013-2016	6	0	51	21	8.50	13.3	3.77	0	0

 

It's clear that #6 and #7 batsmen get best conditions to bat. Avg of top 4 is 121 in all matches. Which means that teams lose their top 4 in a session and half with new ball. Once the ball is 30-40 overs old it's much easier to bat on in SA.

 

Can we trust Pandya and Ashwin to take maximum advantage of best batting conditions?

 

[Gollum]

Last 2 tours we had Raina, baby Che and Hitman at no 6, needless to say that was our weak link on both those tours. 

[Trichromatic]

1 minute ago, Gollum said:

Last 2 tours we had Raina, baby Che and Hitman at no 6, needless to say that was our weak link on both those tours. 

Indian captains don't realise this and go with same formula which they use in subcontinent where top 4 score most of the runs.

[Gollum]

6 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

Indian captains don't realise this and go with same formula which they use in subcontinent where top 4 score most of the runs.

But we have never had a great no 6 since Dada's retirement , no?

[Lannister]

17 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

Even in won matches:

 

Overall figures

Wkt	Partners	Span	Inns	NO	Runs	High	Ave	Overs	RR	100	50
5	6	2014-2016	6	0	459	233	76.50	111.5	4.10	2	1
4	5	2014-2016	8	1	487	184	69.57	150.4	3.23	2	1
2	4	2014-2016	8	0	412	205	51.50	120.4	3.41	1	2
3	5	2014-2016	8	0	384	79	48.00	109.5	3.49	0	4
1	2	2014-2016	8	0	294	123	36.75	72.1	4.07	1	2
6	6	2014-2016	6	1	165	51	33.00	39.4	4.15	0	1
8	4	2014-2016	5	1	121	43	30.25	29.3	4.10	0	0
7	3	2014-2016	5	0	107	48	21.40	25.4	4.16	0	0
10	4	2014-2016	4	0	65	36	16.25	15.0	4.33	0	0
9	3	2014-2016	4	0	16	14	4.00	6.1	2.59	0	0

 

Won and Drawn combined

 

Overall figures

Wkt	Partners	Span	Inns	NO	Runs	High	Ave	Overs	RR	100	50
6	8	2013-2016	10	1	641	399	71.22	130.1	4.92	1	1
3	7	2013-2016	13	1	772	222	64.33	219.2	3.51	1	5
5	7	2013-2016	10	0	615	233	61.50	157.4	3.90	2	3
4	6	2013-2016	12	1	565	184	51.36	179.3	3.14	2	1
2	6	2013-2016	13	0	570	205	43.84	184.5	3.08	1	4
1	4	2013-2016	13	0	413	123	31.76	118.5	3.47	1	3
7	5	2013-2016	9	2	168	48	24.00	52.0	3.23	0	0
8	6	2013-2016	7	1	136	43	22.66	34.1	3.98	0	0
10	6	2013-2016	6	0	83	36	13.83	17.4	4.69	0	0
9	5	2013-2016	6	0	51	21	8.50	13.3	3.77	0	0

 

It's clear that #6 and #7 batsmen get best conditions to bat. Avg of top 4 is 121 in all matches. Which means that teams lose their top 4 in a session and half with new ball. Once the ball is 30-40 overs old it's much easier to bat on in SA.

 

Can we trust Pandya and Ashwin to take maximum advantage of best batting conditions?

 

I think we have to, because playing just 4 bowlers is a guaranteed that we are not going to take 20 wickets. Its a good thing that we are not playing Jadeja knowing how valuable 6th and 7th batsmen are in these conditions. 

[Vijy]

21 hours ago, Gollum said:

But we have never had a great no 6 since Dada's retirement , no?

dada played more at 5 and lax at 6 I thought?

[Gollum]

5 minutes ago, Vijy said:

dada played more at 5 and lax at 6 I thought?

May be before the Chappell fiasco. 2005 onwards I think it was Lax at no 5.

[Vijy]

1 hour ago, Gollum said:

May be before the Chappell fiasco. 2005 onwards I think it was Lax at no 5.

that's true. but he was a very good 6.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/30750.html?class=1;spanmin1=01+Jan+2005;spanval1=span;template=results;type=batting

 

[jusarrived]

I can give a dozen reasons why we should have played 6 batsmen here . Playing 5 bats is aggressive when the conditions are in batsmens favour , in India we may as well go with 4 batsmen am pretty sure the results will be same . 

 

The very first innings here , is anyone really surprised that we are 3 down early ? Forget about whos selected , even if Kl had played ahead of Dhawan there was always a good probability of few wickets falling cheaply . Also you have to expect your tail to be blown away in these conditions . I am surprised virat being a batsmen himself can't see this.

We seem to be gifting this series to SA which could have been ours .

[Trichromatic]

Top order wickets are bound to fall on such wickets due to help these world class bowlers can get, but it's is absolutely necessary for top 4 to survive 2 sessions even if it means only 90 runs are scored in those 2. 

 

Then only next batsman, if there is any good #5 to #7 can take advantage better batting conditions and spinner.

[Vijy]

34 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

Top order wickets are bound to fall on such wickets due to help these world class bowlers can get, but it's is absolutely necessary for top 4 to survive 2 sessions even if it means only 90 runs are scored in those 2. 

 

Then only next batsman, if there is any good #5 to #7 can take advantage better batting conditions and spinner.

perhaps they should invert the batting order such that the batsmen get to play in getter conditions.