England v India 2014: The issue with Indian opening pair

The morning session is crucial. The batsmen need to see off the new ball. The bowlers will look to exploit the early moisture.

Clichés galore? Yes, I know. But these clichés hold true in England more than anywhere else. Especially with an England attack consisting of the one of the best swing bowlers of this generation: James Anderson.

India play the first of their 5 Tests at the 31-year-old’s favourite hunting ground - Trent Bridge - and hence the Indian openers will have to be at their very best to tackle Anderson and Co.

3 specialist openers have been named in the squad: Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan. Here’s a detailed look at all three of India’s options for the opening slots.

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Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay

Vijay had a lean IPL season with Delhi Daredevils and, prior to that, didn’t have a great tour of New Zealand, averaging 12 in 4 innings. The Tamil Nadu opener, though, did give a decent account of himself in South Africa, but, far too often, he decides to go AWOL and play the worst of shots to throw his wicket away.

For me, as a Chennai boy, I’d love it if as many people from Tamil Nadu play for the national team, but Vijay has shown over the past few months that he quite simply is not good enough. At the international level, you have got to be able to put a price on your wicket and give respect to the many good deliveries that you are bound to get over a period of time in Test cricket. Vijay even missed out in the recent warm-up game against Leicestershire where he managed only 20 runs before he was snapped up by Anthony Ireland.

Vijay’s biggest concern is his off-stump awareness. Far too often for a player of his ability, the 30-year-old pokes and chases at balls well outside off-stump, which leads to him nicking it to the keeper or to the slips. If the right-hander does end up getting the call on July 9, then that is exactly where Anderson, Stuart Broad, Liam Plunkett, etc., will attack him: put balls outside off-stump and let it swing further away.

All of his Test hundreds have come on placid wickets back home, and, although he did make a gutsy 97 in Durban, that knock was more an exception than the norm.

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Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan

Dhawan will have very happy memories of playing in the Old Blighty. Last year, in the Champions Trophy, the 28-year-old made a whopping 363 runs in 5 innings at an average of 90+. Dhawan, on his day, is a scintillating stroke-maker who can decimate any opposition, but, like Vijay, his problem is also that he is very often too loose and throws his wicket away.

The Delhi opener needs to understand that, especially in England, there will be good balls that will be bowled. All that the batsmen can do is defend the good balls and wait for the bad ones to try and attack. While it is necessary for the southpaw to stick to his natural game and backs his instincts, it is important to draw a line somewhere in the middle, as well: a line that separates confidence from complacency. Dhawan, so far, has veered more towards the latter.

But, despite struggling in South Africa, Dhawan did get back into his rhythm in the Tests in New Zealand, scoring a century in a 400+ chase that India almost pulled off. He should be one of the names at the top of the Indian order at Trent Bridge.

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Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir

Along with Ishant Sharma and MS Dhoni, Gambhir is the only member in the entire Indian touring party with prior experience of having played Test cricket in England. With such a lack of experience within the Indian squad, the 32-year-old should be an automatic choice for the second opener’s slot, to partner Shikhar Dhawan.

Everyone knows that Gambhir is a class act, and, despite his horror start to the recent IPL, he came good when it mattered to lead Kolkata Knight Riders to glory. Gambhir will be extremely high on confidence after his KKR stint, and his leadership skills will serve as a useful foil for the Indian captain.

As a batsman, Gambhir didn’t have the greatest of tours to England last time around, but then no Indian except Rahul Dravid came out of that series with any sort of reputation. Gambhir, by nature, is gritty, determined and game for a fight. He also has the ability to get under bowlers’ skins.

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Final Verdict

Dhawan should be an automatic starter. So, the fight is for one place between Vijay and Gambhir, and I think Gambhir must easily beat Vijay to that slot given the conditions and the opposition India are going to be facing.