Is this India's worst batting lineup?

[Unbiased-Fan]

I started following cricket from 2000. I never come across such unsettled and out of form batting lineup for India. This is the worst batting lineup i witness playing that long for India.
Rahane, Pujara, Kohli and Pant are struggling for runs for a long time now.
We have inform opener Rahul, but he averages only 35. Ashwin and Thakur are playing as allrounders but they are averaging in 20s. Only Kohli is averaging above 50, but looking at his form, it will surely fall below 50 after some matches. Better not to talk about walking wickets Rahane and Pujara. Pant is certified slogger and has zero game awareness.
Gone those days when India had 2 to 3 players to average over 50 and another couple of guys who averages mid to late 40s. Even averaging 40 was considered mediocre in those days.

 

[Varun]

Undoubtedly.

I wonder how our batsmen can head back to the dressing room and look our bowlers in the eye after every collapse.

 

[dravidthewall]

Rahul
Rohit
Pujara
Kohli
Vihari
Shreyas
Pant(wk)
Ashwin
Bumrah
Shami
Siraj
Enough of this team to beat anyone..

 

[RajBan]

This is the worst Indian batting line-up by a country mile. So called premium batsmen like Rahul and Rahane have average of 37-38. Pujara does not know how to score runs, has very limited shots in his armour, Kohli is pretty much at the end of his career as well. The lesser said about brainless Pant is the better.

I suspect against same bowling line-up this line-up is worse overall among all Test playing nations.

 

[sweep_shot]

It is their worst batting lineup in a long time. Yes.

 

[Bull]

LOL no it's the quality of pitches.The pitches India have been getting for quite some time now in overseas tests are quite lively batsmen find it difficult to score on these pitches.
Indian Bowlers are getting good due to these pitches.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Since 2000, you can say that this is the weakest as two of our great batsman aren't in top form.(Pujara and Kohli)

But worst ever! Really?

Rohit, Jadeja and Gill are injured so can't really say that this is even our first choice lineup.

Rohit
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Gill
Pant
Jadeja
Shardul
Shami
Siraj
Bumrah

This is a good batting lineup, if only we drop Rahane.

 

[Mp812]

Rahane and Pujara....the combined score put by them in all completed innings so far....I am ready to bet $200 that the in form Shreyas would have scored more alone in same number of innings....allowing you the flexibility to play another batter/bowler.
The backbone in the batting lineup, has been struggling for months now. The batting order playing is not giving full value. Only one inning left now for Pujara and Rahane to justify their selection and it is also an innings which will decide series winner

 

[Cover Drive Six]

We will look good once Kohli back to form.

 

[Robert]

Yes, only Pujara and Kohli are top class. The eighties, nineties and 2000s teams had significantly stronger batting.

 

[HydratedTurnip]

People over-do this bit about teams having their worst batting lineups n all without even taking into account the difficulty of the tracks that are on offer lately..

Sure this ain't India's best, especially since there is literally no one that can be counted upon to score a double or a daddy hundred -- no one seems to have that kinda patience anymore.. but it ain't their worst either.

I happen to recall Ind lineups which would get bowled out for sub 100 scores (in both inngs) back in the 90's when visiting SA

 

[James]

Without Rohit opening, yes. But the bowlers are so good that they are carrying the team through the majority of Tests.

 

[silentkiller187]

Any correlations between the rise of IPL and the decline of indias test batting unit???

 

[happydavy]

Pujara has played test cricket in 6 countries excluding India and in 4 of those 6 countries he averages less than 30. Yet some posters find Pujara a great batsman, i mean really what to say about the collective intelligence of those posters. Pujara isn't out of form, this is his overall career. Average of under 30 in Eng, SA, NZ and WI.

The only thing worse than his batting average is his strike rate, which has been under 40 since last 5 years.

 

[Local.Dada]

Hands down Yes.

Give this team the 90’s Indian fast bowling unit and we will be competing with Bangladesh.

The bowlers have been our standout both Pacers and spinners. Everyone does their job. This maybe a bitter pill to swallow for some but in terms of strength/depth/variety one of the greatest test bowling attacks of al time.

Just need a decent left armer. Maybe not a Wasim Akram level because he is once in a life time talent or even Vaas/ Zak but even a Irfan Pathan or Nehra level bowler will add so much to complete the unit as a total package.

 

[Marathonrunner]

Agree with OP. This seems to very weak batting line up especially when Rohit is injured. BCCi should really bring in Shreyas Iyer, SKY and check them out . Pujara and Rahane can be dropped /rested .

 

[Ab Fan]

Naah, this is not the worst. The batting lineup of Gill, Pant, Pujara, Rahane, Jadeja and Sundar won us test series in Australia vs Cummins and co.Also, they are very strong at home conditions. Even the backups like Saha and bowling all rounders score quite a bit of runs at home.

Also, Kohli is the third greatest Indian test batsman, tied to Rahul Dravid and I am sure you can find some period where India didn't had Tendulkar or Gavaskar and that would be their weakest batting lineup.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Compared to our batting in late 90s and 2000s its weaker.

But a lot of blame must go to the selection.

Rahane is done. Anyone avging 38 after playing 80 tests for India doesn't deserve to be in the team. Give Vihari Iyer Gill Shaw chances.

Rohit looked good as an opener and Rahul has done ok. Pujara needs to go as well. His knee issues has restricted his footwork.

Ideally i would play

Rahul
Rohit
Mayank/Gill
Kohli
Shaw/Iyer
Pant
Jadeja/Seam AR
Ashwin
Shami
Bumrah
Siraj

 

[Sidilicious]

People ae forgetting that until Dravid and Ganguly arrived at the scene in 96, we had a pretty poor batting.

I remember the days of Vikram Rathour, Sidhu (good batsman, but struggled outside asia), Jacob Martin, Kanitkar, SS Das, Ramesh playing in Test for India.

Now, this team is weak, but there are mitigating cicrumstances
1. Loss of Rohit and Gill at the top
2. Loss of Jadeja in the middle order

And, also the insistence to carry around Pujara and Rahane. However, I do hope they prove me wrong today.
And finally, Pant needs to get his shot selection and thought process in control.

If the right changes are made (and its going to happen soon) we will have a solid batting line up. Not comparable to the likes of what we had in the 2000s, but a solid lineup for this day and age.

Rahul/Rohit/Gill/Mayank - Top 3
Kohli - 4
Iyer/Vihari/or some new Ranji talent - 5
Pant - 6
Jadeja / Ashwin / Thakur / Sundar/ Pandya - 7 & 8
Shami/Siraj/Bumrah/Ishant - 9-11

Other than the bottom 3, the top 8 are pretty decent bats

However, we need to go back to the A team or Ranji and promote 1 or 2 bats into the Indian team.

 

[Justcrazy]

The team that beat Aussies in Australia two times , cannot be bad team , how many teams have won Test Match let alone a series in Australia

 

[cricketjoshila]

Pujara Rahane Mayank to be replaced by Rohit Vihari Iyer?

Buzz is that Mayank Pujara and Rahane will be replaced by Rohit Vihari and Iyer.

Gill and Shaw as back ups.

Whats your opinion? Should mayank get more chances?

Who else should be in the reckoning?

 

[Ab Fan]

We mostly have home test series coming now so you play whoever, it is fine.

My overall team( squad) would be :-

Rohit
Rahul
Gill
Kohli
Vihari
Pant(wkt)

Backups - Mayank, W Sundar, S Iyer

Spinners:-
Jadeja
Ashwin
Axar
Sundar

Fast bowlers :-

Bumrah
Shami
Siraj
Shardul
Umesh
Prasidh

That's as many as 18 names in the mix.

In India, only two pacers play. So, they can select Siraj, Umesh and one of Shami/Bumrah( alternately).

In the batting department, Gill, Vihari and Sundar are front runners for me overseas. At home, you won't go wrong with either of three but most probably not go wrong with Mayank or Iyer either.