Top drawer: Shikhar Dhawan all praise for Ajinkya Rahane

When asked if it helps to partner a batsman who is an enforcer, Dhawan added: “Obviously, it takes the pressure off you and you can bat more freely.”

Given that Rohit is usually slow off the blocks, it will take some restraint to not read the last two statements as: ‘When I am not batting with Ajinkya, runs don’t come from both ends, and it’s not good,’ and, ‘Obviously, when you are batting with Rohit, there’s pressure on you and you can’t bat freely.’

But that will be unfairly applying the law of contraposition here. And it’s not as if Dhawan and Rohit didn’t taste success together – they have made exactly 1500 runs in 32 innings, at about 50-runs per stand. Their partnership’s stats were even better at this time in 2013, but suffered like many other reputations on the road.

The Rahane-Dhawan opening partnership, meanwhile, averages 70.66, but in its current avatar it’s just four-matches old (not counting the one-off Asia Cup match against Afghanistan). By comparison, after their first four matches together, Rohit-Dhawan was averaging 110.66 per match.

So why does Rahane-Dhawan appear so much better than Rohit-Dhawan — to everyone, including Dhawan? Is it just because of the immediacy of one set of numbers (therefore it is a perception) or are there some cold facts backing it?

Match made in heaven

Both, if you think of it. Rahane-Dhawan’s 71-runs-per-game comes close on the heels of 26-runs-per-game that Rohit-Dhawan had been averaging since South Africa. Anything would have been an upgrade on that latter stat. Understandably, therefore, a jump of 45-runs-a-game feels like Rahane batting with Dhawan was a match made in heaven.

This perception is further reinforced by the fact that Rahane is currently India’s finest batsman. Yes, he hasn’t converted too many starts lately, yet he brings a calming influence to the team no matter how imposing a task they are facing. Even in Kochi, where India were chasing 321, the batting looked unruffled — infallible almost — as long as was he was at the crease. Then he fell. And India lost by 124 runs, giving West Indies a shock 1-0 lead coming here to New Delhi.

“I personally feel Ajinkya has really held through his job as an opener. He has been very consistent against both seamers and spinners,” said captain MS Dhoni on the eve of the first game.

Often his calm is infectious. Rahane not only bats well, he also makes others bat well. Virat Kohli’s first half-decent knock in England, a fluent 40 during the third ODI in Nottingham, came when Rahane was serenely taking apart the English bowlers. Then in Birmingham, Dhawan, who had struggled all summer long, found form. For once, the Delhi left-hander played a waiting game as his new opening partner unhurriedly went about his business. After Rahane softened up the English attack on his way to a maiden ODI century, Dhawan too joined in and made an unbeaten 97. It was some relief after a sapping summer that had drained him dry.

No wonder then that Dhawan waxed eloquent about Rahane Friday. Even if it appeared that his praise was probably undermining Rohit, which was incidental.

For, had Rohit — who scored a crucial fifty in his last game — not broken his finger and had Dhawan not ended his poor sequence of scores, who knows, it could just have been the Mumbai batsman paying these very compliments to Rahane. At the expense of the Delhi left-hander.