Do we have the worst top order in Test cricket?

[Ultimate_Game]

As the question and the poll asks, do we have the worst top order in Test cricket?

 

Jaiswal is the only one carrying this top order. Rohit is the specialist captain, Gill is the new "all format star" despite doing much, and "King" Kohli is as useless as they come when it matters and averages 33 over the last 5 years. Then we have likes of KL Rahul 

 

The team has been carried by its lower order in Pant, Jadeja, Ashwin, Axar, Sundar etc. And against Eng, Jurel did the heavy lifting lower down the order. It's our lower order who scores most of the runs, and bowlers take the wicket while our so called "batsmen" are only there to throw the bowlers under the bus for not winning while being passengers throughout.

 

Lower order and bowlers drag the team to WTC final, and when they lose as our lower order is built for subcontinent (Ashwin, Jadeja, Axar) they and the bowlers get thrown under the bus. Top order never do shyte or show up anywhere but are the first to blame the bowlers. And despite the fact that we have better options in Sarfaraz and Jurel available who actually performed when given a chance. But now "eggsperience" is back and the top order is back to sucking balls.

 

BCCI and Jay Shah don't give a shyte as they nominated Rohit captain for eternity, selectors don't give a shyte as the only thing they look for is "eggsperience" and not performances, and the players themselves don't give a shyte either seeing how Kohli treats Indian team like a vacation - whenever he's bored he decides to show up.

[singhvivek141]

We aren't worst though.
Our western and eastern neighbours are ahead of us.

[tweaker]

Rohit,Virat, should have played Duleep trophy.They just seems to be taking their places as granted.

 

Rahul shouldn't be the automatic choice. Sarfaraz should have played this 2 test.

 

Gill has also taken.his place lightly. 

 

Selectors should identify Rohit,Virat,Rahul 's replacement as early as possible. 

 

 

[Ultimate_Game]

2 minutes ago, singhvivek141 said:

We aren't worst though.
Our western and eastern neighbours are ahead of us.

 

They're minnows TBH. I was thinking of teams such as Aus, Eng, SA, NZ etc. At the moment even SL has a better top order than us 

[Ultimate_Game]

4 minutes ago, tweaker said:

Rohit,Virat, should have played Duleep trophy.They just seems to be taking their places as granted.

 

Rahul shouldn't be the automatic choice. Sarfaraz should have played this 2 test.

 

Gill has also taken.his place lightly. 

 

Selectors should identify Rohit,Virat,Rahul 's replacement as early as possible. 

 

 

 

The problem with Rohit is that Jay Shah has nominated him the captain for foreseeable future so selectors hands are tied. Gill is coming back from a successful series against Eng and is backed to do well in Aus where the pitches suit his style of batting.

 

The biggest problem right now is Kohli and KL. They haven't done anything in ages and slot right back in the team. They should be replaced ASAP with Sarfaraz and Jurel or anyone else. We need performers for Aus, and not these washed up players.

[rollingstoned]

We got rid of Purane and it is still ****. 

[AKane]

1 hour ago, rollingstoned said:

We got rid of Purane and it is still ****. 

It will be interesting to see without those 2 in Aus. Can't wait.

[AKane]

4 minutes ago, AKane said:

1 hour ago, rollingstoned said:

We got rid of Purane and it is still ****. 

It will be interesting to see without those 2 in Aus. Can't wait.

Just as a reference

 

Rahane overall average 38.46 and in Aus 42.09

Pujara   overall average 43.60 and in Aus 47.28

 

Those should be easy to match for the likes of Jurel and the peerless KL.

 

[Number]

27 minutes ago, AKane said:

Just as a reference

 

Rahane overall average 38.46 and in Aus 42.09

Pujara   overall average 43.60 and in Aus 47.28

 

Those should be easy to match for the likes of Jurel and the peerless KL.

 

Alarm bells.

[Suhaan]

1 hour ago, AKane said:

Just as a reference

 

Rahane overall average 38.46 and in Aus 42.09

Pujara   overall average 43.60 and in Aus 47.28

 

Those should be easy to match for the likes of Jurel and the peerless KL.

 

I'm expecting Rahane to be named "specialist reserve"for the Aus tour

[Adamant]

Very Disappointed that Kohli didn't play Duleep trophy, this weakness against spin that he developed around 2020 is still looming and he has done nothing to solve it.
Two more matches without a century and he should be dropped, ho gaya yaar ab bas.

[Number]

1 hour ago, Adamant said:

Very Disappointed that Kohli didn't play Duleep trophy, this weakness against spin that he developed around 2020 is still looming and he has done nothing to solve it.
Two more matches without a century and he should be dropped, ho gaya yaar ab bas.

Looks like Kohli not reviewing the lbw despite inside edge, made even his fans angry. 

[Frustrated]

1 hour ago, Adamant said:

Very Disappointed that Kohli didn't play Duleep trophy, this weakness against spin that he developed around 2020 is still looming and he has done nothing to solve it.
Two more matches without a century and he should be dropped, ho gaya yaar ab bas.

Chalo.  For a change, finally u hv started to admit a few glaring flaws on Kohli, to the possibility of him getting dropped.  Refreshing to see  (That's quite unlike you).    Having said that, I feel his inability to handle spin was inherent since his debut. (And not developed in 2020)

Just check how many times he was dismissed by part timer 'Moenalitharan' even before 2020.  (Especially in tests).  

[Frustrated]

There was a faint edge on that LBW decision of kohli.    The edge was so faint that even he couldn't recognize it.  His glaring inability to play any form of spin is deeply concerning.   And at the age of 36, I don't see him being able to work on it.    In SL Odi series, he looked clueless against spin and got a humiliating hattrick of LBW dismissals on low scores.  All in similar fashion.  Thereafter, he got 2 months break.  Only to return & continue from where he had left (ie piling on the misery against spin).   It's time for him to announce retirement ASAP.  Or else needs to be booted out.   (The later won't happen though)

 

[Ultimate_Game]

Kohli only has two weaknesses at the moment...

 

1. He can't play pacers when they bowl in the channel on 4th & 5th stump line. He'll eventually nick one.

 

2. He can't play spinners and is a candidate for LBW.

[tapandrun]

That has been the case over the years now, Ind had Rahane a specialist test batter batting with an avg. under 40 who was also the v.c. 

Pujara even though he was good in Aus but he still had sub 45 test average.  how can these be specialist test batters- yes wkts in Ind have not been that  batters' friendly but how can they be called specialist ?? Ind should have replaced atleast one of them long back.

 

But now here is a situation where TM and selectors are backing some one in GIll who they think is future superstar but its clear he lacks technique for no.3, then there KL who is getting backing from every1 at one time bcci looked him and pant as next in line superstars after Rohit and Kolhi which is getting clearer that they are not.

 

Rohit and Kolhi are on other side of 35 not many batters are able to perform that well after that kind of age, specially batters from sub-continent.

 

Over all its kind of mesh-up of various problems coming at same time. Its been Ind lower middle order who has been getting runs for the team and mostly doing the rescue jobs.

 

There is not a single batter who is peaking or is in his prime they are either average batters , aging batters or few new batters trying to find their feet in intnl cricket, this is like a transitional side but which is not exactly in transition, this is the same problem is fast bowling too and spin bowling too but to lesser extent. This is because of lack of foresightedness.

 

And over all batting in Intnl cricket is at v.strange crossroads in many decades, after the so-called fab your who are the next in-line top end batters ????

 

If you take a look at Sachin's era (no sure what else word to use here), there were v.top end batters like Sachin, Ponting, Kalis, waughs, Lara, Dravid then there were v.close to top-end batters too like chaderpaul, gangully, jaisurya, Inzi, Anwar, yousuf, viru, cook, hayden ,peterson, sanga, mahela,amla and many more list goes on and on...

 

right now after so-called fab four its labuschagne and this is the reason babar looks good to when ppl. know he is no-where the top-end but because of lack of v.close to top-end batters there no other reference he can be compared to so gets compared to kolhi. root, smith and williamson

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2024 by tapandrun

[Number]

14 minutes ago, Ultimate_Game said:

Kohli only has two weaknesses at the moment...

 

1. He can't play pacers

 

2. He can't play spinners

Baaki kaun bacha 

[Frustrated]

43 minutes ago, Ultimate_Game said:

Kohli only has two weaknesses at the moment...

 

1. He can't play pacers when they bowl in the channel on 4th & 5th stump line. He'll eventually nick one.

 

2. He can't play spinners and is a candidate for LBW.

That's like saying a guy is good looking.  Everything about him is good.  Except his height, body and face.   

[singhvivek141]

3 hours ago, Adamant said:

Very Disappointed that Kohli didn't play Duleep trophy, this weakness against spin that he developed around 2020 is still looming and he has done nothing to solve it.
Two more matches without a century and he should be dropped, ho gaya yaar ab bas.

Bhai, account hack ho gya kya ?

Ya maine zyada pee li hai. 

[rollingstoned]

10 hours ago, AKane said:

Just as a reference

 

Rahane overall average 38.46 and in Aus 42.09

Pujara   overall average 43.60 and in Aus 47.28

 

Those should be easy to match for the likes of Jurel and the peerless KL.

 

Rahane had a godly SENA batting average until like 2018 or so which was why he got such a long rope. Pujara was a passenger but somehow found a way to perform in Australia. 

And yes remains to be seen who steps up, we can't rely on our LO there.