Statistical analysis of India's overseas Test performances in 2018

Kohli's performances exceptional but more expected from Pujara and Rahane

A lot was expected from the core trio - Pujara, Kohli and Rahane - as they were the experienced players who had been a part of quite a few overseas tours in the past. Kohli, without a doubt, has been the biggest positive for India in terms of batting performances in both the tours. If his performance in SA was anything to go by, he went to the next level in the England series, thereby erasing his nightmares of 2014.

Pujara struggled in SA whereas Rahane looked good in the only match he played in that series. In the Eng series, Pujara got a century and a fifty apart from a fighting 30 odd and Rahane got a couple of half-centuries and a good supporting knock of 37 in the last innings of the tour. Though they weren’t poor by any means, a lot more was expected from them than just this.

One of the possible reasons for this could be the constant chopping and changing policy, which could have created insecurity in them and dented their confidence. Either ways, this outcome has sent an important message to the selectors that they need to start looking for backup options like Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari and Karun Nair.