The power of strokeplay
Why India should score their runs quickly and open with a right-left combination in Australia
What does it take for a batsman to succeed against Australia? Apart from a reasonable technique and the ability to cop some chatter in the middle, it's the ability to score the runs quickly which separates the batsmen who have done well from those who have not. As the list below shows, the six most successful batsmen against Australia since the 1999-2000 season have all scored their runs at a rate of more than 55 per 100 balls. Jacques Kallis, at seventh spot, is the highest name in the list with a sub-50 strike rate.
Batsmen against Australia in last four years (min qual.: 5 Tests) | |||||
Most successful | |||||
Tests
|
Runs
|
Balls
|
Ave
|
Strike rate
|
|
Vaughan |
5
|
633
|
1091
|
63.30
|
58.02
|
Laxman |
6
|
724
|
1155
|
60.33
|
62.68
|
Astle |
6
|
489
|
857
|
48.90
|
57.06
|
Tendulkar |
6
|
582
|
1017
|
48.50
|
57.22
|
Lara |
9
|
854
|
1385
|
47.44
|
61.67
|
Cairns |
6
|
515
|
753
|
46.82
|
68.39
|
Kallis |
6
|
429
|
924
|
42.90
|
46.43
|
Least successful | |||||
Tests
|
Runs
|
Balls
|
Ave
|
Strike rate
|
|
Ganguly |
6
|
283
|
631
|
23.58
|
44.84
|
Atherton |
5
|
221
|
484
|
22.10
|
45.66
|
Campbell |
5
|
187
|
616
|
18.70
|
30.36
|
(All figures since October 14, 1999) |
Sadagoppan Ramesh did manage to find a place in the squad, and if Australia's past record is anything to go by, the Indian think-tank would do well to include him in the Tests. Over the last four seasons, a left-right combination at the top of the order has achieved far greater success against Australia on their home turf than an opening pair consisting of two right-handed batsmen.
Batting partnerships against Australia | |||||
For wicket
|
Right-left pair
|
Both right
|
Both left
|
||
1st | Innings |
69
|
26
|
-
|
|
Ave |
32.95
|
17.03
|
-
|
||
100/ 50 p'ships |
4/13
|
0/2
|
|
||
|
|
|
|||
2nd | Innings |
42
|
40
|
14
|
|
Ave |
30.67
|
28.63
|
42.69
|
||
100/ 50 p'ships |
2/6
|
1/6
|
1/3
|
||
|
|
|
|||
3rd | Innings |
46
|
44
|
14
|
|
Ave |
39.89
|
34.05
|
30.57
|
||
100/ 50 p'ships |
5/ 6
|
2/ 8
|
0/ 1
|
||
|
|
|
|||
4th | Innings |
50
|
41
|
4
|
|
Ave |
34.42
|
37.80
|
63.00
|
||
100/ 50 p'ships |
4/ 9
|
2/ 5
|
1/ 0
|
||
(All figures since October 14, 1999) |
Plenty has been written about why Murali Kartik should have been in the Indian squad to Australia. Here's another reason: over the last couple of years, left-arm spinners have had more than reasonable success in Australia. As the table below shows, left-arm spinners have taken more than 30 percent of the team's wickets in matches they have played. The list includes Daniel Vettori and Ray Price, but also the less likely Ashley Giles, who took six of the 15 wickets in the only Test he played in Australia.
Team
|
Matches
|
Wkts taken by team
|
Wkts by LOS
|
% of wkts by LOS
|
LOS in team
|
Eng | 1 | 15 | 6 | 40% | Giles |
NZ | 3 | 36 | 13 | 36% | Vettori |
Zim | 2 | 17 | 6 | 35% | Price |
SA | 3 | 38 | 12 | 32% | Henderson, Boje |
(LOS - left-arm orthodox spinners) |
A quick reality check on how the Indians have performed in Australia: Sachin Tendulkar is the only batsman who has consistently scored runs there, while Ajit Agarkar shone as a bowler on the 1999-2000 tour (though he is remembered - rather unfairly - for his horrendous run with the bat). Especially glaring is the lack of success of Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble: Dravid averaged a meagre 15.50 last time around, while Kumble's five wickets came at an exorbitant 90.
Indians in Australia
|
|||||
The batsmen
|
Tests
|
Runs
|
Ave
|
Career Avg
|
Diff
|
Tendulkar |
8
|
646
|
46.14
|
56.37
|
-10.23
|
Dravid |
3
|
93
|
15.50
|
54.37
|
-38.87
|
Laxman |
3
|
221
|
36.83
|
44.26
|
-7.43
|
Ramesh |
2
|
60
|
20.00
|
37.97
|
-17.97
|
The bowlers
|
Tests
|
Wkts
|
Ave
|
Career Avg
|
Diff
|
Agarkar |
3
|
11
|
31.91
|
46.57
|
-14.66
|
Kumble |
3
|
5
|
90.00
|
28.21
|
61.79
|