As Cheteshwar Pujara inside-edged a Lungi Ngidi delivery to give Keegan Petersen an easy catch at short leg to depart for a golden duck, the attention was brought back to the struggles of India’s No.3. While Ajinkya Rahane has had it worse in India’s batting line-up this year, Pujara too has struggled; he is averaging just under 29 in 2021 after 25 innings and questions have to be asked about his place in the XI.

Pujara, of course, has served India brilliantly, as shown by a career average that currently stands at 44.52. Away from home, he has been the man to come in early and blunt the new ball with great effect, and he showed real bravery and skill Down Under at the start of the year. But as 2021 has gone on, his ability to put up meaningful scores has receded and the excellence of India’s openers has lessened the role for Pujara to regularly take on a make-shift opener’s role at the fall of an early wicket.

His numbers this year have shown a sense of decline. There have been no hundreds and a strike rate of 34.47 in 2021, and Pujara has been found wanting. He averages a little over 27 at No.3 this year, which is the second-lowest among all those in the world (min. 200 runs scored). Four of his six half-centuries this year were scored in the first two months of the year and he’s passed 30 in just four of his last 20 Test innings.

While his batting fortunes have dwindled, however, India’s opening options have multiplied, so much so that the team has as many as four solid players who can slot in up top: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. Injuries and period of rest have limited having all four available together recently – Gill and Rohit are both currently absent from the tour of South Africa – but if more than two of them are fit, India could try to be flexible and change their batting unit to give preference to recent form.

On current form and reputation, Rohit and Rahul are the first-choice openers, over Mayank and Gill. The former has had his issues overseas, where he averages 28.61 as against his home average of 83.90, Gill is relatively inexperienced and still has to improve his technical game. However, the two have still impressed in recent times.

Mayank, who smashed 150 and 62 at the Wankhede ahead of the South Africa series, silenced critics with a fine 123-ball 60 at the Centurion. He went after the balls that were swinging away, cleverly defended the ones that seamed away, punished the deliveries that were sprayed down leg to give an account of his developing skills overseas. A tight technique further works in his favour. Mayank has always been a good player of spin, and his recent showing against the Proteas indicates that he has worked hard on his previous flaws.

Gill, on the other hand, impressed in India’s win Down Under at the start of the year. His temperament stood out as he looked confident against the fast bowling of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, scoring 259 runs in three matches at an average approaching 52. His next overseas assignment was the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in June, where he only scored a combined 36 runs in two innings, but still stood tall with confidence and occupied the crease for time against the threatening bowling of Kyle Jamieson, Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

The overflowing reserves of in-form openers and their ability to adapt to different situations, thus, presents India with the option of slotting them in different batting positions, including at number three. Mayank has experience of batting in the middle order while Gill could be considered as a replacement for Rahane. Both Mayank and Gill have been on the mark against the new ball of late in tough conditions, and there is no reason to believe why they can not succeed against a relatively older ball, at three, and score big runs quickly. Even if an early wicket falls, they will know how to tackle the situation, putting their recent experience into play.

Pujara has been a long-standing servant of Indian cricket since his debut in 2010, but he has been struggling for quite some time now. All of India’s openers have done the hard work this year, and it is time they are showered with a little more belief, including some backing to fill the other gaps in the batting order.