Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 16 (ANI): As India gears up for the first Test match against Bangladesh, Indian cricket enthusiasts are eagerly looking forward to a resurgence from their top-order batsmen. This segment of the team has experienced a significant slump in form, with batting averages and century counts markedly declining when comparing the 2016-2020 period to the span from 2021 onwards.

The two-match Test series between India and Bangladesh is set to commence on September 19 at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The second Test will follow on September 27 in Kanpur. This series marks the debut of head coach Gautam Gambhir, who is keen on clinching a series victory right out of the gate.

Analyzing the batting averages of the top-seven Indian batsmen alongside those of visiting teams on Indian pitches reveals substantial statistical differences between the periods of 2016-2020 and 2021-present day.

From 2016 to 2020, the collective batting average for India’s top-seven batsmen was an impressive 54.43, with them requiring just 6.9 innings per century. In contrast, visiting teams’ top-seven averaged only 28.51 and needed 19.6 innings to score a century.

However, starting in 2021, there was a noticeable downturn. India’s top-seven batsmen’s average fell to 38.30, and they took 13.1 innings per century. Overseas batsmen also saw a decline, averaging 26.12 and needing 33 innings for a century, according to ESPNCricinfo.

Several prominent Indian batsmen have seen significant declines in their averages at home. Virat Kohli’s average plummeted from an astounding 86.17 in 22 Tests with 10 centuries during 2016-2020 to just 34.47 in 11 Tests with one century since 2021. KL Rahul’s average dropped from 44.25 in 14 Tests with one century to 29.20 in three Tests without a century. Rohit Sharma also witnessed a decline, from an average of 101.20 in 10 Tests with four centuries to an average of 44.87 with four centuries in 15 Tests.

Middle-order batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have similarly struggled. Pujara’s average fell from 56.85 in 24 Tests with five centuries to 24.53 in 10 Tests without a century. Rahane’s average declined from 39.32 in 22 Tests with two centuries to 18.87 in five Tests without a century since 2021. Their underperformance may explain their absence from the current squad, making way for young talents like Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Indian batsmen have particularly struggled against spin bowling. From 2016-2020, India’s top-seven averaged a robust 63.36 against spin at home, facing an average of 103.7 balls per dismissal. Post-2021, this average dropped sharply to 37.56, with the balls per dismissal decreasing to 64.4. Dismissals against spin increased from 110 to 134 during this period.

In contrast, India’s performance against pace bowling has remained relatively stable. From 2016-2020, the top-seven averaged 47.36 against pace, with 85.6 balls per dismissal. This average saw a slight decline post-2021 to 45.79, with dismissals occurring every 83.8 balls. The number of dismissals against pace was significantly lower post-2021, dropping from 108 to just 44.

India has maintained an unbeaten home series record since 2014, thanks largely to their bowlers’ significant contributions.

For Rohit Sharma and his team, this series against Bangladesh is just the beginning of a challenging season. Following this series, New Zealand will tour India for three Tests starting on October 16, which will be succeeded by the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia commencing on November 22.

India’s squad for the first Test against Bangladesh includes: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yash Dayal. (ANI)