Who is India's best batsman overseas in Tests?
Top five Indian batsmen have amazing numbers in India. Cheteshwar Pujara averages 62.45, Virat Kohli averages 56.16, Lokesh Rahul averages 46.70 and Murali Vijay makes run at 42.31. Only Shikhar Dhawan (39.46) and Ajinkya Rahane (36.88) average less than 40.
But the question remains, how good are Indian top 5 batsmen in overseas conditions (outside subcontinent)? Are they home-track bullies? Or they perform equally well home and away?
Australia
Virat Kohli leads the run charts in Australia. He has made 992 runs at an average of 62, including 5 centuries. Who could forget his twin centuries at Adelaide in 2014?
Virat Kohli, with his knocks of 115 and 141 in the two innings of the Test, had become only the second player to score twin centuries on his captaincy debut.
Murali Vijay had a series to remember as well, he amassed 482 runs at an average of 60.42. Ajinkya Rahane also made an impact as he made 399 runs at an average of 57.00.
Though KL Rahul had a sorry debut in Melbourne, he announced himself on the international circuit in Sydney with a hundred (110). However, both Dhawan and Pujara had an outing to forget.
England
India toured England in 2014 and won only a game, at Lord's, when Rahane made a hundred (103) in the first innings and Vijay scored a patient 95 in the second.
Both Kohli and Pujara, expected to shoulder Indian batting, failed. Kohli's weakness outside off stump was exposed in that series and bowlers started to target him thereafter. He averaged only 13.40 and Pujara couldn't do much either as he made 222 runs at 22.20.
Vijay was the only player who batted consistently, making 402 runs at an average of 40.20, including a century.
South Africa
India openers Vijay and Dhawan have nothing to be proud of in South Africa. Vijay averages 29.33 while Dhawan averages only 19.00. Pujjara has played four matches in SA and made 311 runs at an average of 44.42.
Kohli and Rahane, on the other hand, have played only two matches each, but they did make a mark. Kohli amassed 272 runs at an average of 68 while Rahane aggregated 209 runs at 69.66.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, Vijay averages a paltry 12.00. Pujara also didn't do well as he made only 60 runs in two matches at an average of 15.00.
Dhawan is the top-scorer for India with 215 runs at an average of 53.75. Kohli has staggering numbers as well, he has managed to score 214 runs at an average of 71.33. Rahane is not far behind as he has 162 runs at an average of 54.00
West Indies
Like New Zealand, Vijay has struggled in West Indies as well. He could only manage 79 runs at an average of 11.28. Kohli, Dhawan and Pujara have had average outings.
Kohli's numbers started to move upwards after his debut series in the Caribbean. In his first series there, he made only 76 runs at an average of 15.20. In his second outing, he scored 251 runs at an average of 62.75, including a double hundred.
Rahane made 243 runs at a stunning average of 121.50 while Rahul amassed 236 runs at an average of 78.66.
Conclusion
Vijay has memorable outings in Australia and England but failed miserably in West Indies and New Zealand. Rahul made a mark in West Indies while had an average outing in Australia.
Although Dhawan leads the run charts in New Zealand, he struggled in Australia, England and South Africa. Cheteshwar Pujara has an excellent record in South Africa but failed in England and New Zealand, while he had average outings in Australia and West Indies.
Rahane has stellar numbers in South Africa, Australia, West Indies and New Zealand. And though he had an average outing in England, he still scored runs everywhere.
Kohli, on the other hand, scored loads of runs in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa but has had average outings in West Indies, while in England, he failed miserably.
Therefore, as far as numbers are concerned, Rahane is India's most reliable overseas batsman.