This was India's first century stand for the opening wicket in 19 Tests and 32 innings since the 283 that Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan shared against Bangladesh in Fatullah 18 months ago
KL Rahul and Parthiv Patel seem to have hit it off as openers quite easily. Batting together for the first time, the two raised a rare century partnership for the first wicket for India. The 152 runs in 41.5 overs the two added was the kind of start that India needed when faced with a tall score of 477 that England raised in the first innings of the fifth Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
This was India's first century stand for the opening wicket in 19 Tests and 32 innings since the 283 that Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan shared against Bangladesh in Fatullah 18 months ago.
That India struggled to post a century stand for the opening wicket in the last year-and-a-half until Sunday had to do with captain Virat Kohli not having a fit settled pair. Since Fatullah of 2016, India had six different opening combinations that also included Gautam Gambhir, who was brought back into the Test set up after more than two years and Patel, who was forced to open following injuries to the regular opener, Rahul in Mohali and Vijay here.
India had managed to raise only four half-century partnerships in those 18 Tests and 31 innings in between with the highest being 87 between Rahul and Dhawan in the drawn Jamaica Test earlier this year.
It is a matter of concern for Kohli and chief coach Anil Kumble not to have a settled opening pair in Tests. Kumble had said in Mumbai two days before the fourth Test last week how he would have loved to have a steady pair of openers.
It was only for the four Tests against South Africa last year end that India had Vijay and Dhawan opening in every game without any disruption.
"Injuries are a part and parcel of the game. They are not in our control. Ideally, yes, that's the settled opening pair (Rahul and Vijay) you would want but I think in the circumstances we have done really well," Kumble had said even as Rahul was looking to prove his fitness then.
Injuries to the openers have been freakish. Rahul, who had returned to the Test 11 in Visakhapatnam after missing Kolkata and Indore against New Zealand and Rajkot against England due to hamstring, hurt himself while fielding in Visakhapatnam, ruling him out for Mohali before regaining his place in the 11 in Mumbai.
And, Vijay bruised his left shoulder on the field when England went about piling on the runs on Saturday, forcing Patel to open with Rahul and score his highest Test score – 71 – with ease.
"For New Zealand, we had three different opening pairs. Even in the West Indies, we had an injury to Vijay and then Shikhar got injured against New Zealand, then Gautam had that freak injury in Indore but he could bat. So, I think there is something happening with the openers in terms of injury, I hope that doesn't go on. There has to be some stop at some stage," Kumble prayed.
Rahul, who scored his fourth Test century on Sunday and all coming as an opener, said he had no problems in adjusting with his fourth opening partner, Patel. Speaking on Sunday after his career-best 199, Rahul said: "Parthiv is a busy player. The right hand-left hand combination makes it difficult for the opposition bowlers to adjust. It doesn't really matter who you are opening with if you can keep the bigger picture in mind and focus on what you have to do," Rahul said.
The openers' curse began in Sri Lanka last year when India had three different pairs for the three Tests – Rahul-Dhawan in Galle, Rahul-Vijay in P Sara Oval and Rahul-Pujara for Sinhalese Sports Club. Vijay picked up a hamstring niggle soon after landing in Lanka that he missed the first Test. Dhawan fractured his right hand in Galle and was ruled out of the rest of the tour.
Vijay returned for the second Test before missing the third due to recurrence of the hamstring, forcing Pujara to open with Rahul. Vijay again had to miss a majority of the West Indies tour due to thumb injury sustained in the victorious first Test in Antigua.
Left thumb fracture in Kolkata and indifferent form saw Dhawan out of the team in recent times, forcing the Indian management to look for fit top-order batsmen.
When Australia visit India, Kohli and Kumble will be praying that his openers return fully fit and that they have one organised pair that will not give the men that matter much to worry about.
India's openers since Fatullah, 2015
Openers Tests Innings
Rahul- Dhawan 3 5
Vijay-Rahul 4 7
Rahul-Pujara 1 2
Vijay-Dhawan 6 10
Vijay-Gambhir 2 4
Vijay-Parthiv 1 2
Rahul-Parthiv 1 1
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4
No. of 50-plus partnerships Indian openers had since 283 between Vijay and Dhawan in Dhaka and until the start of the ongoing Chennai Test
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 "KL Rahul and Parthiv Patel")
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