Opening the batting in Tests is one of the biggest challenges that a batter can get. Against the red new ball coming out from the hands of talented bowlers, it becomes hard to do the job. Openers usually hone their skills in this context. Interestingly, some of these players operate in the middle-order in the white-ball formats. It is completely a different context altogether. This flexibility has allowed them to be with the team for a longer period of time. On that note, here, we take a look at three players who currently open in Tests but bat in the middle-order in the white-ball formats.
1) Aiden Markram
Aiden Markram started his career as an opener. He is still an opener in Tests and is doing a great job at it. With Dean Elgar having retired, his responsibility will increase.
In the white-ball formats, Markram is one of the best middle-order batters at the moment. He has a good game against both pace and spin to excel here.
2) Tom Latham
Tom Latham is one of the top Test openers at the moment. Across conditions and for a long time, he has done well in the red-ball format.
When it comes to the white-ball formats, he is active mostly in ODIs. He plays at No.5 and has done well. Latham also captains both these sides frequently. His recent form, though, has been worrisome.
3) Ben Duckett
Ben Duckett is one of the players who currently open in Tests but bat in the middle-order in the white-ball formats. One of the newest players to join this list is Ben Duckett. He belongs to the breed of the ultra-aggressive English batters.
Soon, he will establish himself as one of the top batters in the world. This flexibility will take him places and he could even be a captaincy candidate in the future.
