CHENNAI: It seems the powerhouses in the Indian domestic circuit have taken tender for opening partnerships in Tests. Tamil Nadu openers Murali Vijay — should he recover in time — and Abhinav Mukund would lay claim to the slots left vacant by injuries to the established Delhi firm of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the first of the three Tests in the Caribbean.

While Vijay has played in nine Tests in two years, Mukund would debut, unless the think-tank decides to give Parthiv Patel a look-in, which seems an unlikely scenario. While Vijay would strive to assert his stature as India’s first-choice reserve opener, Mukund would aspire to emphasis that his batsmanship is up to Test-level, after four fruitful years in domestic cricket.

Pertinently, Mukund has shown the required temperament in first-class cricket, evidenced by his penchant for big scores that includes a triple hundred and two double hundreds, besides four other 150-plus scores.

That is, he has converted half of his 13 hundreds to 150-plus scores, which for a 21-year-old is a commendable feat. Besides, he has averaged 50 or about in each of his four domestic seasons, the last being the most productive as he amassed 1,211 runs at an average of 75.68 in 18 innings, thus warranting his selection as Gambhir’s replacement.

A southpaw, he is dissimilar to Vijay. The latter is a pleasing driver, a predominantly front-foot player whose forte is playing in the ‘V’, as is his predilection for the arc between mid-wicket and long-on. Conversely, Mukund is stronger through the squares.

If Vijay mostly leans into his drives, Mukund prefer it on the rise. Though not as tall Vijay, an upright stance helps him to employ the back-foot and front-foot strokes with equal efficacy.

Like all good players, he plays the ball late, and with a high back-lift.

Even so, both of them have sparked off almost instantly, and almost breached the record opening wicket partnership (fell short by two runs in the 462-run parry against Maharashtra in 2008-09; shortly afterwards Vijay got the national call-up).

In 22 stands for the State, they have racked up 1,783 runs that includes a quadruple hundred, a doubled hundred and five other 100-plus associations at an obscene average of 81.045.

Assured that they relish each other’s companionship, and given that Gambhir and Sehwag aren’t certainties for the England tour, the Chennaiites’ sojourn might be longer, but ironically this would also spark off a fierce competition of bragging right for the replacement opener’s slot.

Murali Vijay will have to pass a late fitness test, and if he is ruled out, Mukund is certain to miss him.

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