Australia vs India 2018: Will Parthiv Patel Open the Innings in Australia?

Will Parthiv Patel open the innings in Australia?; Let us leave the answer for the time! Meanwhile, let’s discuss the inclusion of Parthiv Patel in the Indian team for the Test series against Australia in the upcoming months.

Will Parthiv Patel Open the Innings in Australia?

During the announcement of the squad, the chief of the selection panel, MSK Prasad cited they have considered the Gujarat wicketkeeper for his ability to bat at the top-order as well. The stylish southpaw has done it many times for India in the previous occasions and also delivered as well.

Meanwhile, MSK Prasad, in his short paragraph on Parthiv Patel cited the experienced campaigner has got the ingredients in him to face the new ball bowlers. So, Perhaps, an opening slot is on offer for him?

”He was not picked for Afghanistan and England. But subsequently, he played Duleep Trophy. He batted and kept well. We have brought in youth and experience, we wanted him because it will be a high-intensity series. He can bat anywhere in the top-order. Considering all these factors we have picked him,” MSK Prasad said.

India’s struggle with openers stretched as well:

The tour to South Africa and England have been a significant drawback for the team India openers. None of them showed fight in the middle to make the team management believe in them at the opening slot.

Okay, leaving out those series’, India will be travelling with out-of-form, KL Rahul, an 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw and the unsettled Murali Vijay in the openers’ slot for the tour to Australia.

Apart from the century in Kennington Oval, KL Rahul never really played to his calibre. His troubles with incoming deliveries have never been sorted. Meanwhile, you can’t really judge Prithvi Shaw until he faces the new cherry from Micthell Starc and Hazlewood.

On the other side, the back-up Murali Vijay has always been uncertain in his approach. Of late, his form at the highest level of the cricket hasn’t been great, which also saw his ouster from the team.

Keeping all these reasons on the paper, the selectors would have preferred Parthiv Patel in the side. And, if the things really won’t happen for the opening trio, you would see Parthiv Patel taking the opener role in Australia.

Parthiv Patel stats as an opener:

In total, Parthiv Patel opened for India on six occasions. A majority of them have been in the middle of the series. He knocked 265 runs for the team by numbering three fifties in it. He carried a brilliant average of 53 at the opening slot with the highest score of 71.