South Africa vs India 2018: 5 reasons Indian management should choose Rahul over Dhawan

Style of Play

Australia v India - 4th Test: Day 3

Dhawan may provide the flair at the top of the order that Rahul lacks, but what is required in South Africa is maintaining the tempo at the start of the innings. This is exactly what Rahul can provide.

Rahul, technically proficient like Rahane, would thrive in such seamer-friendly conditions. Along with Vijay and Pujara, he would help blunt out the opposition’s pace attack and look to lay a solid platform for the middle order to capitalize on. Among the formidable quartet of pacers for the hosts, three of them – Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel, are making a return from injuries.

If Rahul ends up putting the trio in the field for long, it could make the job easier for the rest of the batting line-up and the series ahead. Given Dhawan’s gung-ho approach, it is unlikely that he can undertake this task of batting for longer durations. If required, Rahul, besides accumulating runs could also play the role of a controlled aggressor as he has for the Royal Chanllengers in the shorter version.

Another factor to consider is that the last time India went to South Africa ,Dhawan failed to to do justice to the restraints of his aggressive stroke play in bowling-friendly conditions. His game was opened up by Dale Steyn and Co as he was continuously dismissed trying to pull or hook.

Dhawan is yet to overcome the problem of nicking the deliveries outside off-stump, and continues to struggle with the problem of handling incoming deliveries. There remains a very real possibility that his poor start in South Africa 2013 could continue in 2018.