Former Team bowling coach Bharat Arun shared that Ravi Shastri frequently refers to Murali Vijay as India’s greatest Test opener after Sunil Gavaskar.
Bharat Arun, the former bowling coach of Team India, recently shared insights into Ravi Shastri’s perspective on Test openers. According to Arun, Shastri often hails Murali Vijay as India’s second-best Test opener after the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. Arun praised Vijay’s character and skills, highlighting him as one of his favorite players.
Sunil Gavaskar, widely regarded as India’s greatest opening batsman in Test cricket, achieved remarkable milestones during his illustrious career. His 36 Test centuries and the distinction of being the first to reach 10,000 Test runs underscore his legendary status. Gavaskar’s achievements are even more impressive considering he faced formidable fast bowlers like Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee, Andy Roberts, and Malcolm Marshall without the protection of a helmet.
While Gavaskar is the undisputed top opener, Virender Sehwag is often considered the next-best in Indian cricket history. Sehwag’s unique style and incredible feats, including multiple triple-centuries, set him apart. His partnership with Rahul Dravid, resulting in a 410-run stand against Pakistan in Lahore, is India’s second-highest Test partnership.
Despite Sehwag’s stellar career, Bharat Arun revealed that Ravi Shastri consistently asserts that Murali Vijay is the country’s second-best Test opener after Sunil Gavaskar. This acknowledgment from the coaching staff reflects Shastri’s admiration for Vijay’s skills and character in the longest format of the game.
“If you want me to name a batter whom I knew from a very young age, Murali Vijay was someone whom I saw in college. I recommended him to another First-Division team. That’s when the journey started. Ravi [Shastri] often says that Murali Vijay is the best Test opener India had after Sunil Gavaskar.”
“And that’s a huge compliment today. So I can say that my interactions with him [Vijay] have been outstanding and he is one of my favorite players,” the former bowling coach told Cricket.com.
Vijay showcased his cricket prowess in 61 Tests for India, predominantly as an opener with 100 innings to his credit at either No. 1 or 2. In this tenure, he accumulated a total of 3880 runs, embellished with 12 centuries and 15 fifties. One of his standout performances was a stellar innings of 167 against Australia in Hyderabad.
Noteworthy moments in Vijay’s career include four instances of surpassing the 150-run mark as an opener. The 146 he notched against England in 2014, on a challenging Nottingham pitch, is etched in the memories of Indian cricket enthusiasts. Following this, he continued his sublime form with a classy 144 against Australia in Brisbane, albeit in losing causes for India.
