Top India Batsman: Rahul Dravid

With Virender Sehwag missing the first test, it will be unlikely he has enough time to make up the runs and he is therefore left out of the analysis. With six players likely to play all four tests, I have again focussed on their ‘runs per game’ rather than average.

Career runs per Test match

Gautam Gambhir certainly enjoys playing England. In two matches he averages over 90, with a highest score of 179. Having never played in this country, it is too early to say if he has taken a particularly shine to Andrew Strauss and his team, but he is an exciting batsman.

If the jury is still out on Gambhir, it may be left between two 38 year-olds to battle it for top honours, and it is a close call. All eyes will be on the ‘Little Master’ Tendulkar, with the prospect of his 100th hundred arriving in this series.

Rahul Dravid is also playing in his last tour of England and though perhaps not as celebrated as his illustrious teammate, he is a high quality player. A batsman with a very correct technique, if the ball seams in the damp conditions he is the most likely to hang around.

Top scorer in the West Indies with 251 runs from three matches, at 9/2 he is over priced to be India’s top batsman.