Should Laxman bat at #3 in next Test?

[ravishingravi]

VVS at no 3:20 matches,1471 runs,avg=47.45,4 centuries,6,fifties,HS=281(even though he hadn't developed fully as a batsman at that time) RD at no 6:8 matches,413 runs,avg=69,1 100,2 50s,HS=180

Where were those innings pplayed. Pls fill in the little details.

[saneindian]

Barring Bangladesh, the last 100 that Dravid scored at number 3 against a top 8 test nation was vs WI way back in 2006. Starting from the SA tour in 2006, he has had one good away series in NZ and rest of it has been quite average by his standard. Last 4 years, an average of 30 vs the top 8 nations, 21 tests, 41 innings,1143 runs at a strike rate of 36.45, no 100s and 8 50s. Won't be a bad idea to play Dravid at 6 for the 3rd test. But instead of VVS, send Pujara at number 3. he will be under lesser pressure and can take time to settle down. I have a feeling he will be much more fluent coming in at 50-1 rather than 70-4.

[pensionplan]

Where were those innings pplayed. Pls fill in the little details.

In gully cricket.

[littlemaster1982]

Barring Bangladesh' date=' [b']the last 100 that Dravid scored at number 3 against a top 8 test nation was vs WI way back in 2006. Starting from the SA tour in 2006, he has had one good away series in NZ and rest of it has been quite average by his standard.

Saneindian, You forgot this match: http://www.espncricinfo.com/indvrsa/engine/match/332911.html

[pensionplan]

VVS at no 3:20 matches,1471 runs,avg=47.45,4 centuries,6,fifties,HS=281(even though he hadn't developed fully as a batsman at that time)

You deduct those 281 runs from the total runs => 1190 runs and the avg drops down to 39. Not good for a #3, right? There is a reason he was asked to bat down the order in spite of his EPIC 281. Dravid's stats are misleading. Are you seriously going to judge a batsman based on 6 inns? PS: As they say, stats is a beach! Don't trust it. :icflove:

Hmm..Why only deduct VVS's top innings? Why not deduct his worst innings and see how well his stats look at No.3? Talk about cherry picking things. Since Dravid has been a life long for India at No.3 does not mean VVS is any less capable. Even outside of 281 there is a certain 109 in Sydney that jump started the 2008 Australia series when India was stuck in a rut primarily due to a snail paced Dravid at the time or that 69 in Mumbai in 2004 versus Australia when he top scored in that team second innings on a crumbling pitch that India eventually won to name a couple of other good knocks. There are few other very good knocks too at No.3 for VVS if one wants to dig in. However the reason why one may not want VVS at No.3 at this stage if at all they want to move Dravid down the order would be looking into the big picture and a larger scheme of things where they want to put in someone like a Pujara investing into the future not because VVS is any less capable plus VVS from a team perspective has been doing a fabulous job at No.5 guiding the innings together especially when the chips are down and there is no need to change what has been working so well for the team.

[coffee_rules]

No need to shield Dravid at 5, just let him have a silent demise at 3, just like Ponting.

[zen]

I wouldn't prefer to have VVS bat in the top 3 as he has been our best batsman in this series in testing conditions. May be someone like Pujara could come in at 3. Considering how Dravid is struggling atm and how Tendulkar seems to struggle in testing conditions, may be we can have Laxman bat at 4. So far things haven't gone that well as far as batting is concerned so may be there is no harm in trying something different Top 6: GG Sehwag Pujara Laxman Tendulkar Dravid

[Zelig]

Hmm..Why only deduct VVS's top innings? Why not deduct his worst innings and see how well his stats look at No.3? Talk about cherry picking things. Since Dravid has been a life long for India at No.3 does not mean VVS is any less capable. Even outside of 281 there is a certain 109 in Sydney that jump started the 2008 Australia series when India was stuck in a rut primarily due to a snail paced Dravid at the time or that 69 in Mumbai in 2004 versus Australia when he top scored in that team second innings on a crumbling pitch that India eventually won to name a couple of other good knocks. There are few other very good knocks too at No.3 for VVS if one wants to dig in. However the reason why one may not want VVS at No.3 at this stage if at all they want to move Dravid down the order would be looking into the big picture and a larger scheme of things where they want to put in someone like a Pujara investing into the future not because VVS is any less capable plus VVS from a team perspective has been doing a fabulous job at No.5 guiding the innings together especially when the chips are down and there is no need to change what has been working so well for the team.

blah blah...It's all about consistency. If he was so consistent, his average wouldn't have dropped by 8 points after deducing just his highest score. Btw, Laxman himself has said that he is happy to bat down the order. Know your cricket or stfu. Thanks. :icflove:

[Sachin=GOD]

top 6 should be: Viru Gauti Dravid Goddy Laxman Pujara.

[saneindian]

Pujara at 3 please. Our next test series is still 5 months away and who knows if Dravid decides to hang his boots in the interim, that would mean Che moving to number 3. Wont be a bad idea to give him a go here at 3. A lot will also depend on how Dravid feels about moving to number 6. Don't think the team management will decide unilaterally to move him down the order, they will take his views and decide accordingly (like they did that during the chase in the 2nd test vs Aussies).

[flamy]

I trust Dravid.

[pensionplan]

blah blah...It's all about consistency. If he was so consistent, his average wouldn't have dropped by 8 points after deducing just his highest score. Thanks. :icflove:

Why deduce only his highest score? Why not his next highest and so on and so forth till it pleases you. What say?

Btw, Laxman himself has said that he is happy to bat down the order. .

ok. Nice. All bets are off now.

Know your cricket or stfu

okay, I will keep an eye on your posts to know more about cricket.

[Guest Gunner]

I wouldn't prefer to have VVS bat in the top 3 as he has been our best batsman in this series in testing conditions. May be someone like Pujara could come in at 3. Considering how Dravid is struggling atm and how Tendulkar seems to struggle in testing conditions, may be we can have Laxman bat at 4. So far things haven't gone that well as far as batting is concerned so may be there is no harm in trying something different Top 6: GG Sehwag Pujara Laxman Tendulkar Dravid

Who was India's top scorer in the first innings of Test 1 under "testing" conditions? So far I thought you had a genuine cricketing interest related to SRT and were just expressing your PoV, I know now that you are dishonest, so please do not troll.

[Zelig]

Why deduce only his highest score? Why not his next highest and so on and so forth till it pleases you. What say? ok. Nice. All bets are off now. okay, I will keep an eye on your posts to know more about cricket.

Good boy. Now you're willing to learn something. Nice.:two_thumbs_up: You can also bookmark my posts for quick reference. Adios! :icflove:

[Hindustani]

No

[Lord]

no,have faith in Dravid.although having Pujara there wont be bad option

[vishalvirsingh]

dont u guys think that the best indian batsmen in africa(VVS) shud bat at no 3 for us VVS shud play ahead of dravid and even tendulkar as it seems he is more confident facing the raging bulls( i mean steyn and Morkel)..... sachin kinda lost his control and started scoring risky shots, remember his 2 4's neither of them were convincing , soon his eyes flashed as he found a rubbish bowler(tsotsbe) bowling after morkel( morkel was bowling deadly balls at 145K and tsotsbe bowled 124 K softies and he kinda did not control his shot resulting into his wicket. even dravid did some thing similiar. I feel VVS and sehwag are our best bats closely followed by sachin gambhir and dravid against Africa, see the confidence they show against morkel and steyn. i mean dravid stops scoring against fast bowlers and that gives them an oppurtunity to build enuf pressure and resulting in to a rubbish bowler even taking wickets. VVS is so fluent he will always be able to rotate strike even against the likes of steyn and morkel. dravid only looks to leave balls or defend them when they are targetting stumps. I bet VVS is a better option at #3 than dravid though i m not at all in favour of pushing cheteshwar at #3 as he is a new guy and pushing him at #3 on fast tracks against raging bulls is kinda pushing him for failure. VVS is most equipped to manage and save even big players like sachin and dravid and gambhir. if sehwags stays then Africans shiver so ia m assuming they get sehwag then it shud be VVS who shud come and take control of indian batting.

[Pak_Forever]

Have always admired this guy and have always rated him as the real match winner in the Indian line-up. The ease he shows batting under pressure is simply spectacular.

[Rameshraja17]

Yes he should but in the absence of Sachin and Dravid.

[Mohan470]

VVS Can bat and easly save the game with help of Lower Order, wen come pare to other batsmen. VVS is one of the Big Wickets, So dont want loose this wicket intially.... :two_thumbs_up: