Five Indian Batsmen Who Like to Score Runs in Ones and Twos

Updated - 17 Aug 2018, 06:06 PM

VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Indian National Cricket Team
VVS Laxman (Credits - PTI)

With so much glamour and fame attached to cricket and lost of money coming into play, cricket has almost lost it original self. However, there are still many who safeguards the tradition of a game, whose beginning ranges in the 16th century. Many Indian batsmen like to score runs in ones and twos.

Meanwhile, the advent of limited-overs cricket has pushed the batsmen more for boundaries and sixes in an attempt to score runs at the brisk pace. They attempt to score quick runs in the less number of balls possible. But, to tackle some excellent bowling, there is still the need to rotate the strike.

Although the importance of scoring runs in singles and twos, have reduced now, but it is hard to write it off.

Here are five Indian Batsmen who like to score runs in ones and twos:

RAHUL DRAVID:

Dravid
Five Indian Batsmen Who Like to Score Runs in Ones and Twos. Getty Images.

Rahul Dravid, one of the greats of the game, was the backbone of Indian batting unit for quite a few years. Although he was not best suited for the limited-overs cricket, he made the Test arena his own.

Batting at one drop, he held the batting order tight. Moreover, his ability to manoeuvre the field sets him apart from the rest. The genius could pierce the gap to scamper for easy singles and twos, and his knocks mostly depended on rotating the strike.

Out of 13,288 Test runs, Dravid has scored only 6,476 runs in boundaries, and 6542 runs came in ones and twos. Similarly, in One-day Internationals, 6837 runs out 10889 runs came in one and twos.

Furthermore, Dravid played a solitary T20I game scoring 31 runs, out of which 13 runs came from singles and twos.

The Karnataka-born cricketer certainly literally made rotating the strike synonym to his name.

VVS LAXMAN:

Image result for vvs laxman
Five Indian Batsmen Who Like to Score Runs in Ones and Twos. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

VVS Laxman was a part a fab four comprising of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sourav Ganguly respectively. His deft touches and glances square of the wickets stole the heart of every cricketing fan.

Moreover, he carried the legacy of Mohammad Azharuddin and was one of the best batsmen in the side during his generation.

Laxman had this unique talent of batting with the tailenders and has won India many matches. Similar like Dravid, Laxman made the five-day cricket his own and stamped his authority.

Out of his 8,781 Test runs, Laxman has registered 4211 runs, and 1476 runs out of 2388 ODI runs came in ones and twos.

The opponent bowlers found it hard to stop the run flow when Laxman batted as he found a way or the other to rotate the strike.

CHETESHWAR PUJARA:

Cheteshwar Pujara, Essex, India
Five Indian Batsmen Who Like to Score Runs in Ones and Twos. BCCI

Serving as the backbone of Team India, Cheteshwar Pujara has been the backbone of the Indian side since the retirement of Dravid. Many often see the shadow of Dravid in Pujara’s batting. He is calm and composed and knows where his stumps are.

Pujara boasts a Test average of 49.45 in 59 Test matches with the highest score of unbeaten 206. Moreover, he has 4,549 runs in this format among which 2235 runs have come in singles and doubles.

Although known for being a slow mover, Pujara likes to bat longer and depends on ones and twos for most of his runs.

The Saurashtra-born cricketer, who made his debut under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has a lot more to give to Indian cricket. He will be Virat Kohli’s trump card in the Test format.

AJINKYA RAHANE:

Five Indian Batsmen Who Like to Score Runs in Ones and Twos. Credit: BCCI

Ajinkya Rahane is one of the classical batsmen in this current Indian set up. Although not a regular in the limited-overs side, Rahane has proved his ability across formats.

However, he has recently seen a dip in form and needs to come stronger in the last three Test against England.

The Mumbai batsmen can clear the field but look elegant when he nudges the ball for singles and doubles. Rahane has scored 1,486 runs running between the wicket among his 2941 Test runs.

Furthermore, 53.75% of his ODI runs have come in one and twos as he can find the gaps quite easily.

Finding the gaps and stealing singles is what that makes Rahane’s game so eye pleasing.

VIRAT KOHLI:

Virat Kohli, Surrey, Alec Stewart, County Cricket, England
Five Indian Batsmen Who Like to Score Runs in Ones and Twos. Getty Images

Indian skipper Virat Kohli is one of the quickest when it comes to running between the wicket. His ability to convert ones into twos, and twos into threes are what makes him apart from the rest.

Arguably one of the best batsmen across the cricketing world currently, Kohli can pace his innings according to the situation of the game. Moreover, he can steal singles while playing with soft hands.

Although he likes to step down and the spinners, most of Kohli’s runs have come from ones and twos in Test cricket. Moreover, the percentage of runs scored in singles and doubles in ODIs and T20Is is also eye-catching.

Virat Kohli needs to continue his game to bring more laurels for the nation.

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