The power of strokeplay

Why India should score their runs quickly, and open with a right/left-hand combination in Australia:

Make 'em snappy
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.

On the other hand, the three batsmen at the bottom of the list all have a scoring rate of below 46. Among the failures is Sourav Ganguly, who, in six matches against Australia, has scored 283 runs from 631 balls.

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Left is right
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.

As the table below indicates, the average opening partnership between two right-handers is a paltry 17.03, with the 61-run stand between Trevor Gripper and Dion Ebrahim for Zimbabwe at Perth earlier this year the highest partnership in 26 tries. Throw in a left-hander, though, and the average almost doubles to 32.95, with a highest of 147 between Wavell Hinds and Sherwin Campbell in 2000-01.

It can be argued that the right-left combinations who played during this period were more accomplished players (Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan, Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten), but this trend continues down the order as well, though the contrast isn't quite as stark. Among partnerships for the first four wickets, right-left pairs have performed better in three of them - only for the fourth wicket have right-handed pairs done marginally better. In fact, of the 33 century stands against Australia since October 1999, 18 have been made by right-left combinations, and just 12 by right-handed pairs. Interestingly, all-left partnerships have posed a few problems for Australia. Have India missed a trick by leaving out both Yuvraj Singh and Hemang Badani from their squad?

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The southpaw factor
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.

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India down under
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.

S Rajesh is assistant editor of Wisden Cricinfo.

The article appeared in the December issue of Wisden Asia Cricket. Click here to subscribe to the magazine.