England vs India 2018, Talking Point: Why Indian openers will be under tremendous pressure

First session crucial for openers

2nd Sunfoil Test: South Africa v India, Day 2

The first session of a Test match is the most important for both the sides, bowling and batting. A good start gives the team a much-needed push to drive through the five days and finish on the winning side.

On abroad trips, especially, early jitters get the better of batsmen sometimes and that ends up shaping up the rest of the series for the visiting team. Therefore, the first session is of utmost importance and if the openers go through that period, when the ball is swinging heavily, it's all uphill from there.

"When you talk about abroad trips, the most key players are openers. Because every team wants good starts, whether you're bowling or batting. If you're bowling you want two-three wickets before lunch, when you're batting you don't want to lose 2-3 wickets before lunch. That extra pressure is going to be there for openers but I'm sure they'll come out in flying colours," Ramesh concluded.