After India’s awesome batting performance in the recent series against Australia, I feel that it would be rude not to blog about this brilliant batting line up.

1. Rohit Sharma

Rohit started his ODI career in the middle order and it would be fair to say he didn’t set the world alight when he had the chance. However, after a very healthy couple of IPL tournaments with the Mumbai Indians at the top of the order, he was given a chance in place of Sehwag at the top of the order. He is now averaging 50 when he opens, and has scored 1000 runs in 2013 including a stunning 209 against Australia yesterday. He has also struck a partnership with his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan (see more below)

2. Shikhar Dhawan:

Dhawan has been an absolute revelation as an opener for India. He was brilliant during the Champions Trophy in England and was a vital part of them going all the way and winning the trophy. In 2013 he is just nine runs short of 1000 and is averaging 55 with four tons to his name. He and Rohit have hit countless century partnerships between them and really seem to be getting India off to a great start.

3. Virat Kholi:

Where do I start with Virat Kohli? I wrote a piece about him last year entitled ‘Virat Kohli – India’s Next Big Thing’ and I don’t think I could have been more right. In just five short years Kohli has almost reached 5000 runs and in that time, he has notched up 17 hundreds. Some of his hundreds have been supremely special as well, if we take his unbeaten 100 in the 2^nd ODI against Australia this year we can see how quickly he can swing a game. His 54 ball innings including seven 6’s and gave Australia no hope in defending their target.

4. Suresh Raina:

Raina’s performance is slowly dipping in amongst these in form players, but on his day he can make any bowling attack look average. He only has three ODI hundreds, but he has two hundreds in T20 cricket so we can see how dangerous he can be given the chance.

5. Yuvraj Singh:

Yuvi is the experience this Indian team need to balance the youth and talent of the top four. He is such a powerhouse that not even cancer could stop him smashing the ball into the crowd! His 8000 ODI runs speak for themselves, and if you’re not convinced I’ll show you how he destroyed Stuart Broad in the T20 World Cup.

6. MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni is Mr Cool, and the best finisher in world cricket. As captain of his country he has won everything and more often than not he is there at the end to score the winning runs. His unique style and superhuman-like bottom handed strength has made him a much feared weapon in ODI cricket and it seems like there is no safe place to bowl at him. In 204 innings for India he has scored 7603 runs at an average of 52 with 9 hundreds, but his 59 not outs really show his value to the Indian batting order. He is always there at the end.