Why batting positions matter in cricket

What makes a player suited to a particular position? There are numerous factors to consider, including the ball, the pitch, and a player’s mentality.

Top-order batters are among the most proficient in the XI and bat during the trickiest period, namely against the new ball and the frontline bowlers.

The new ball is hard, shiny and has a prominent seam, enabling bowlers to swing it through the air and extract significant bounce and movement off the pitch.

Over time, the ball becomes softer and rougher and the pitch deteriorates, providing grip and movement for spin bowlers. Middle-order batters, therefore, are ideally good players of spin and strong defensively.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan says “in this era” the best batter in the XI bats at number four, external – think Joe Root, Steve Smith or Virat Kohli.

These players, who are expected to act as the backbone of an innings, are comfortable against pace and spin but benefit from protection from the new ball and easier conditions if the top three do their job.

Opening batters also face the physical and mental challenge of getting little rest between bowling and batting innings, and being prepared to bat for long periods of time. All-rounders and wicketkeepers, by contrast, often bat in the middle order to ensure extra recovery time between innings.

However, arguably the most challenging position from a mental perspective – and where the likes of Don Bradman and Viv Richards scored the bulk of their runs – is number three.

Listing the attributes of a number three, external, Vaughan said they are a “pillar of calm and control” who can “soak up pressure and put it back on the bowler”.

Former Australia international Ian Chappell says “if you aren’t mentally attuned to going in early then number three is not the spot for you”.

These players may be called upon in the first over if an opener is dismissed early or have to wait all day if a partnership builds.

Alluding to the mental challenge of batting at three, Root has previously stated that one of the reasons he dropped back down to number four during his time as Test captain was the extra time it gave him to switch his focus from captaincy to batting between innings.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.

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