For nearly three decades, Indian cricket took its one-down batting position for granted. Rahul Dravid held the fort first with rock-solid resilience. Cheteshwar Pujara took over the mantle later with tireless patience and relentless grit. Together, they amassed 17,030 Test runs at No. 3. That accounted for 42 percent of all runs scored by Indian batters in that position across 230 matches. They provided unmatched stability to the middle order, blunted the new ball abroad, and anchored marathon innings at home. However, since Pujara played his final Test in June 2023, that rock-solid foundation has crumbled. India now faces a continuous game of musical chairs at one down.
The Numbers Behind the Search
The post-Pujara era has seen India test as many as nine different batters at the No. 3 slot. Yet, a permanent answer remains elusive. Shubman Gill made a sustained bid after voluntarily moving down from the opening slot in mid-2023.
He recorded 972 runs in 29 innings at an average of 37.38 with three centuries. But injuries and his eventual shift to No. 4 reopened the vacancy. Outside of Gill, six other batters have filled in with minimal success.
Makeshift options like Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, and KL Rahul were deployed in one-off scenarios. Karun Nair made a brief comeback stint.
Sai Sudharsan showed promise with three half-centuries in seven Tests, averaging 31.91, but his run was halted by team combinations and injuries. Collectively, India’s No. 3s average just 31.44 since mid-2023. That is a noticeable drop from the standard set over the previous decade.
A Global Crisis at One-Down
India’s struggle is not an isolated phenomenon in modern red-ball cricket. The World Test Championship (WTC) era has made life harder for top-order batters worldwide.
Pitches have become far more sporting. Seam movement has increased early in innings. Spinners get sharper turn on day-one tracks. Consequently, the global average for No. 3 batters has dropped to 33.25 during the WTC era.
That represents a steep decline from the 38.64 average recorded between 2014 and 2019. Teams across the globe are finding it difficult to produce classical top-order anchors.
The modern batter is conditioned on white-ball instincts. Quick runs are prized over defensive durability. When early wickets fall, incoming batters often lack the defensive technique required to survive hostile spells.
The Temperament Deficit
Finding Pujara’s successor requires more than just strokeplay. It demands rare mental endurance. Pujara thrived on wearing down bowling attacks. He welcomed body blows on bouncy tracks in Australia.
He batted for hours without looking for risky boundaries. In contrast, modern contenders often look to counter-attack early. While quick scoring works on flat tracks, it leaves batters vulnerable under tough conditions.
Devdutt Padikkal is now emerging as another potential long-term candidate following a stellar Ranji Trophy season. Sai Sudharsan remains in the mix once healthy. However, team management must show extended patience.
Quick fixes will not solve a structural problem. India needs a batter who treats defense as an asset, not a liability. Until then, the shadow of Pujara will continue to hang over India’s Test lineup.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
