What name comes to your mind, when we ask — who is India’s best batsman against spin in the Test team? Some might say Rohit Sharma, and others might prefer Virat Kohli. But that might not be entirely true. As per stats by Cricinfo, in the last three years, the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill have emerged as best players of spin in home Tests, and by a considerable margin, while the form of Rohit and Virat has come down alarmingly.
Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli vs Spin Before 2021
The period between 2016 and 2020 was golden for Rohit and Virat, as far as as playing spin at home in Tests is concerned. The duo were on top of their game. In this period, the current Indian skipper scored runs at an average of 92.83 and was dismissed only six times, while Virat scored at an average of 103.23 and was dismissed 13 times by a spinner.
| Batter | Average (2016 – 2020) | Dismissals vs Spin |
| Rohit Sharma | 92.83 | 6 |
| Virat Kohli | 103.23 | 13 |
Struggle After 2021
But the numbers tell a strange story in the last three years. Rohit has been dismissed a massive 15 times by spinners and his average has fallen to 44.13 in this period. On the other hand, Virat has experienced a more significant dip, and averages only 30.26 vs spinners at home, and has also been dismissed 15 times by them.
| Batter | Average (Since 2021) | Dismissal vs Spin |
| Rohit Sharma | 44.13 | 15 |
| Virat Kohli | 30.26 | 15 |
Jaiswal has the best record for now vs spinners, getting dismissed only five times, and scoring runs at 115. Rishabh Pant has been exceptional against the slower bowlers, and has been dismissed five times by them, at an average of 70.80. Shubman has been decent too, where he has been removed 10 times by a spinner, but has managed a healthy average of 56.10 vs them.
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Trouble in IND vs BAN Tests
What does this dip in form against spinners mean? As IND vs BAN Tests begin on September 19, the home team could face some trouble with their best batsmen — Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma not firing against the opposition. Mind you, Bangladesh is a spin heavy side, and have exceptional spinners in their ranks.
For starters, there is Shakib Al Hasan, who has 242 wickets in 69 matches, followed by Mehidy Hasan with 174 scalps in 45 matches, and also Taijul Islam, with 195 wickets in 46 matches. So Team India needs to be wary.
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