5 Indian middle order batsmen who became superb openers

For any side, the openers are a crucial part of the team. Any team wants a good start while batting and the openers are important in that way. Be it seeing out the new ball burst of the opposition in Test cricket, or making use of the Powerplay in ODI cricket, the opener’s job is crucial.

A lot of India’s successful openers, in both forms of the game started off as middle order batsmen, before making the switch to the top of the order.

Here is a list of 5 of the best who made that transition from the middle to the top of the order.

5. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma

Although he has opened the batting in ODIs only for a year now, that change has enabled Rohit Sharma to have the best year of his career, to date. Along with Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit has rolled back the years, to the Sachin-Ganguly era, as two openers who could give India flying starts in ODI cricket. Rohit has been the 3rd highest run scorer in ODIs in 2013, scoring 1196 runs, in 28 innings, at an average of 52.

Although this one year does not take Rohit into the pantheon of great openers, he has started off on the right track.

4. Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid

Although Dravid was not a regular opener in either form of the game, he was called on to do that job, more than once. And Dravid, being the team man that he is, agreed to opening, and made some invaluable contributions as an opener, especially in Test cricket. In Test cricket, especially overseas, it is important to see off the threat posed by the opposition fast bowlers with the new ball.

Dravid with his solid technique and impeccable temperament had the game to withstand the barrage. Very often, bowlers get frustrated by Dravid’s solidity and begin to lose their rhythm, and begin to dole out poor deliveries, that Dravid makes sure he doesn’t let go.

3. Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag

After making a successful start to both his ODI and Test career from the middle order, Sehwag was thrust into the unfamiliar position of opening the batting in the tour of England in 2002. And there, he redefined the role of the Test opener. When Sehwag got runs, he got them at a rapid pace, and ensured that India had the upper hand in the game. Sehwag has scored 38 centuries in international cricket, only 2 of them have come when he hasn’t opened the batting.

With Sehwag, it was as much about how he got his runs, as it was about how many runs he got. The sheer rapidness, and positive intent that Sehwag shows is enough to demoralise the opposition bowling attack.

2. Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly

The one half of India’s most successful opening partnership in ODIs. Ganguly also started off as someone who batted in the lower middle order, and struggled to come to terms with that position. However, after his Test debut in 1996, and the subsequent comeback in ODIs, the team management decided that Ganguly had to bat at the top of the order.

Along with Tendulkar, Ganguly formed a formidable partnership, that has won India many an ODI. Both of them hold the world record for the maximum number of runs scored by the opening partnership. They have put together 6,362 runs in 129 matches that includes 20 century partnerships and 22 fifty run partnerships. The 20 century partnerships for opening pair is also a world record.

1. Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar

As someone who batted lower down at no.5 or no.6, Sachin was not getting enough opportunities to showcase his abundant talent. However, once he pushed to opening the batting, his career transformed completely.

Sachin, being the aggressive batsman that he is, enjoyed the cushion of the batting in the field restriction overs, and managed to get India off to a quick start on most occasions. Sachin got all but four of his 49 ODI centuries opening the batting.

Inspired decision, then it was from the team management to promote Sachin up the order and make full use of his ability.