It took India more than a decade to find a replacement pair to open the inning in one-day format. Sunil Gavaskar and Kris. Srikanth were regular opening batsman in late 80’s but India tried more than 20 different combinations before settling down with Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly.
Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag (and at times when either of them is not available, Gautam Gambhir) are opening combination that India uses regularly in One-Day format. However when all three of them are not available things becomes very dicey.
Murli Vijay was tried and tested and failed miserably. Last series against West Indies, Shikhar Dhawan and Parthiv Patel was given a go ahead and they were not even so great either.
Sachin Tendulkar has probably maximum of year cricket left in him and Sehwag and Gambhir are injury prone. India is in anxious need of a good opening batsman to support an era of dominance.
India has lot of good middle order batsman for example: Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma. Even the next pool of batsman waiting in the wings are middle order batsman: S.Badrinath, Manoj Tiwari, Ambati Rayudu, Venugopal Rao etc.
All above Middle Order Batsman are suited perfectly for Middle Order Batsman Only, perhaps apart from Rohit Sharma. If India has to force an issue and make someone as “MAKE-SHIFT” Opener, then best bet would be M.S.Dhoni.
M.S.Dhoni if tried as an Opening Batsman in One-day format can be very lethal and successful option. After being Captain of the team, and coming in the middle order to finish the game, he has lost the touch of aggressive batting. He at times has to play careful inning in order to win a game. He is very successful in changing his style of play to knock around the ball and take singles.
His First one day century came against Pakistan when Saurav Ganguly send him as Pinch Hitter at number 3 position. He was deadly & destructive against PACE bowling, something in the line of Sehwag. He has ability to hit the ball in air to cover the infield. He has good enough technique to survive good balls. He is very quick in running between the wickets. He has the entire required ingredient to be a successful opening batsman in One Day Format, if tried.
It will benefit Dhoni personally as well, as he will be able to play more freely with bunch of talented batsman to follow him. It will help him to score more runs at the top of the inning. He can be India’s right handed reply to Australia’s Adam Gilchrist.
Greatest Opening batsman of all time, Sachin Tendulkar was also “MAKE-SHIFT” Opener from Middle Order. Who knows this move to send Dhoni at the top may turn out to be Blessing in Disguise!!!
