captain.hansolo
Tape Ball Captain
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2013
- Runs
- 1,270
The number of 100+ opening partnerships the batting talent from Pakistan has managed in away test matches in the decade ending 12-31-2019. In the year since, they have failed to add to that abysmal total.
Of those four, one was against West Indies and another against Bangladesh.
By contrast, the corresponding number for India is five. And before my haughty countrymen get too excited at beating our neighbors by 25%, three of those five happened in 2010.
While it may be argued that India have reentered a period of opening partnership uncertainty ever since the age of Sehwag, Gambhir, Chopra has drawn to an end, Pakistan are undisputedly in the doldrums. And while this period has coincided with the strengthening of Indian bowling, especially the pace attack; Pakistan have not experienced any such remarkable improvement elsewhere.
I posit this hypothesis: The demise of Pakistan's test fortunes are thus due to the demise of their top of the order strength. Whereas, India have compensated for a similar demise with other strengths. Hence, if either, or both teams were to settle the opener conundrum, both, and especially India, would experience a disproportionally higher improvement in their fortunes.
Of those four, one was against West Indies and another against Bangladesh.
By contrast, the corresponding number for India is five. And before my haughty countrymen get too excited at beating our neighbors by 25%, three of those five happened in 2010.
While it may be argued that India have reentered a period of opening partnership uncertainty ever since the age of Sehwag, Gambhir, Chopra has drawn to an end, Pakistan are undisputedly in the doldrums. And while this period has coincided with the strengthening of Indian bowling, especially the pace attack; Pakistan have not experienced any such remarkable improvement elsewhere.
I posit this hypothesis: The demise of Pakistan's test fortunes are thus due to the demise of their top of the order strength. Whereas, India have compensated for a similar demise with other strengths. Hence, if either, or both teams were to settle the opener conundrum, both, and especially India, would experience a disproportionally higher improvement in their fortunes.
Last edited by a moderator:
