Sport

Dravid may open in the Tests

MELBOURNE: There are indications that the Indian team down under is considering the option of using Rahul Dravid as an opener in next week’s first Test here.

The former captain opened the innings in India’s only tour match against Victoria at the Junction Oval here on Thursday.

Despite not having opened in a Test since January 2006, and struggling in that role in the past, Dravid may be given the key job of building a foundation for India’s powerful middle-order in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Dravid batted superbly at No. 3 in the last series in Australia in 2003-04, when he averaged 123.80 for the series, including a 233 in Adelaide.

But Dravid, 35, will face a stiff examination opening against Australia; he has averaged only 33.55 in 13 Test innings as an opener, well down from his career average of 55.97.

Despite boasting one of the strongest batting line-ups in world cricket, India has been lacking a reliable opening pair, as Karthik is yet to establish himself and Sehwag was dropped from the Test team at the start of the year.

Wasim Jaffer has been India’s best-performing opener, but has lacked a constant partner.

If Dravid opens the innings, it would give India the option of playing Yuvraj Singh, who made 169 in his last Test, in the middle-order alongside Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and Ganguly. Dravid said he would be happy to open, but conceded India did have a problem in the opening department.

“Having a good opening start is pretty critical in Australia, whoever does the job,” Dravid said on Thursday.

“As we showed last time, if we can get through the early part against the new ball without the loss of too many wickets we’ve got the kind of batting and people who can make it count later on.

“Whoever does the job, it’s going to be very important to try to do it well.”

Dravid said he would have no problem facing the new ball bowlers on the bouncy wickets. “I am comfortable with any role that is given to me by the team management. I try and do the best I can, irrespective of where I bat,” said Dravid.

Asked what the major differences between batting at three and opening the innings were, the former India captain said, “at number three, though, sometimes you do come in early as well, there is a little difference. It is a little different with the mindset.”

“Right from my school days, I have played in the middle order and I have got used to it. But as a professional cricketer, it is important to adapt and adjust. I have done it before, and if I am asked to again, it is a question of figuring out my routines.”

“The critical thing is the 10-minute changeover between innings. You have got to rush in and get ready in those 10 minutes. You need a different mindset — that is probably the only difference”

Dravid admitted that just one practice game prior to the Tests is not an ideal way to prepare for a tough series against the Aussies.

“Ideally, yes, we would definitely have liked more than one game. Our preparation on our last tour was ideal — we had two practice games and good practice in Brisbane before the Tests. But international calendars are cramped these days, the schedules are tight. So that is not an issue anymore. We have just got to knuckle down and get on with it.”

Dravid, however, played down the threat of bouncy wickets in Australia.

“You expect the bounce here, but it is a question of getting used to it. If you get set, the bounce opens up your backfoot game, it opens up a whole new range of strokes and gives you a lot more opportunities to score runs.”

About the ongoing warm-up game against Victoria, Dravid said, “Considering the weather, it is good to have got 38 overs in. Something is better than nothing. The last series (against Pakistan) was a bit strange. I got starts but didn’t have the rub of the green, got out playing some ordinary shots. But I feel like my feet are moving well, that I am batting well.” — Agencies

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