Now India is blessed with the Best Opening pair in the World but lets not forget how big the Opening Conundrum was to selectors before Sidhu-Prabhakar was replaced by Sehwag-Gambhir pair. This is a write up to provide the impetus on the various men tried by Team India before Gambhir sealed the spot as himself. This begins from the moment Sidhu announced his retirement in 1999 to Srilanka tour of 2008 when Gambhir sealed the spot as himself. Here are the Men who made it in between.
V.V.S.Laxman :-
My first entry is indeed quite an odd one. A peerless performer and classy batsman that played 100 tests and among the Best batsmen in World, his career started at Opening role where he was never at sea. A drop from squad and a majestic 1999-00 season meant he was as Middle Order bat at Sydney and 167 runs later he sealed middle order berth which he confirmed with epic 281 and his achivements in middle order requires no mention.
S.Ramesh :-
Flashy southpaw from Tamil Nadu was first among those who flattered to deceive. Began with a good innings against Akram’s Pak and following up with 96 at Delhi and few strong performances meant, he promised. His footwork was n’t top class yet he made some sensible starts which he could not sustain But an injury and attitude issues this TN opener fizzled out and irony is that he is now a Cini Star having opened for Team India.
D,Gandhi :-
Began earnestly against Kiwis in 1999 with some promise playing at home in subcontinental pitches but soon the tour of Australia exposed him. His inability to play bounce and pace made him to be ousted and this Bengali unlike his team mate Dada was unable to make a fight back.
W.Jaffer :
Mumbaikar Jaffer is among classy bats that could not have a big go at International cricket. He was in and out of side for long as his form meandered yet if beyond Sehwag, he ranks on par with Gambir. Making his debut against fiery Donald and Pollock, he made it by resolve to Windies tour. Again his inability to convert starts meant he was out of side and clawed back in 2005 tour of Srilanka. He held his place for next few years until Gambhir replaced him in 2008. Yet he is among few who really had been unlucky for given his temperament and technique displayed amply in SA, Eng etc meant he must have played more. He still fights for Mumbai and who knows may be another comeback.
S.S.Das :-
Second player from Orissa, steely Das was pnce India’s first choice opener for more than an year. He made promising starts against Zimbabawae and had decent outings in Subcontinent including the Epic Aus series 2001. He did form a stable partnership with Ramesh for a while and again he too was found out in West Indies and fizzled out.
D.Dasgupta:-
Bengali keeper offered a dual role of Keeping and opening and made his entry in toughest SA tour 2001 and managed to hold on his role without much name or fame until West Indies tour. His keeping meant, Opening was just an additional duty for him yet he managed to save India in second test against Proteas in Johannesburg with fighting knock
C.Willams:-
Probably the unluckiest of the Opening lot tried for India, Baroda lad made his debut and played his only test which was deemed unofficial following Denness Saga in 2001 SA tour and never got back to the side.
S.Bangar :-
Allrounder from Railways side made it to Team India in England’s tour of India 2001. He however was batting in Middle order where he scored his Century on his first innings but Second Test in Cricket. Back at opening slot, he performed wonderfully in India’s tour of England 2002 where he had a major role in Headingley win. He maintained his slot until he was ousted by Aakash Chopra.
V.SEHWAG:-
Name says it all. The Most Destructive Batsman of Cricket today started off as a middle order batsman with a Century on Debut with his Idol at Bloemfontein, 2001 and soon coveted the opening slot. He made a Triple against Pakistan, 2004 which was India’s first and after a few series in wilderness returned with bang in 2007-08 Australia series where he was more destructive in his Second Innings with the side. India owes its No 1 ranking a lot to him. He has 2 triples and a 293 Vs Lanka, Mumbai when India first scaled the No 1 Summit and has held on till date. What he did in meanwhile will be a part of Folklore.
A.Chopra:-
Classy Test player with steely temperament and water tight technique, this Delhi opener formed a fruitful association with Sehwag startin from Newzeland series and impressed as a perfect opener, leaving the balls and seeing off leather in Oz series 2002-03. His performance was good in following year with many useful knocks and he was excellent close in catcher too. But Yuvraj Singh making it to Pakistan tour ’04 and poor Aussie series later that year meant he was dropped and never got a look-in despite some excellent Domestic performances.
G.Gambhir :-
Finally the man who closed the debate and selectors headache is last man on my list too. And actually he did not have a great start to his career. Making his debut against the Aussies and then a few good series against Zimbabawae, Bangladesh and Pakistan did not convince the selectors and he had a few qualms in his armour and he was dropped for good. He worked back his technique and game and returned back against Srilanka by working his way through T20s and ODIs and well since then, India’s ascent has been rather quick to Rank 1.
Others :-
Such has been the state of Team India that lot of non regulars had been used to open that include Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik both keepers, Ratra another one behind the stumps and Pathan and Dravid too. Apart Karthik in England tour and Pathan in Perth Test none of them mattered and ofcourse “The WALL” displayed his excellence whatever be the position he played.
To end, India fans need to thank the stars for having two excellent Openers without whom despite having a FAB 4 middle order we were unable to get near the Top Rank and lets not forget all those who were tested before inevitable pair formed. Of these, players who really made atleast some justice were – Ramesh, Das, Chopra and Jaffer.
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