Batting Position Averages: Why Your Number Matters for Statistics
A batsman's average is heavily influenced by where they bat in the order. Opening batsmen face different conditions from number three specialists, who differ again from number six pinch-hitters or tail-end batsmen. This article explains how batting position affects averages, why position-adjusted statistics are more meaningful, and what the data shows about each batting slot.
Why Batting Position Affects Average
A raw batting average (total runs ÷ total dismissals) doesn't account for the different circumstances each batting position creates. Opening batsmen (positions 1-2) face the new ball: they face the highest swing, the freshest seam, the most aggressive field settings with multiple slips, and the most hostile bowling attacks in their best condition — their average is suppressed relative to what they would score if they batted at position 4 with the ball 20 overs old. Number three batsmen (often the team's best player) bat on a potentially deteriorated pitch against a slightly older ball with one opener potentially already set — their conditions are different from an opener. Lower-middle order and tail batsmen bat in whatever conditions remain — sometimes a flat pitch with an old ball (easy conditions), sometimes a fast deteriorating pitch with the new ball taken — their averages are even less comparable to top-order averages.
Position-Specific Benchmarks
Analytical research produces position-adjusted benchmarks for what constitutes a 'good' average at each batting slot in Test cricket: opening batsmen (positions 1-2) — an average above 40 is considered excellent; above 45 is elite (the conditions faced make 45 harder to achieve than 50 would be at position 5); number three — above 50 is excellent; this is often cricket's most important position and has historically the highest concentration of the game's greatest batsmen (Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar all batted number three at their peak); positions four and five — above 40 is solid; this position balances difficult early-partnership scenarios with the advantage of a more worn ball; position six — above 35 is considered solid for an all-rounder type; lower middle order (7-8) — above 25 represents significant contribution; and positions 9-11 (tail) — any average above 15-20 represents a batsman who is punching above their technical weight.
Cross-Position Statistical Comparisons
The career average comparison between players across different positions requires this positional adjustment to be meaningful. Comparing Geoffrey Boycott (career average 47.72 as an opener) to Ricky Ponting (average 51.85 primarily at three) without positional context understates Boycott's achievement relative to the difficulty of opening. Some analysts calculate 'position-adjusted average' — subtracting the average deduction typically associated with a player's position from their raw average — to produce a more meaningful measure of individual performance relative to position norms. These calculations generally confirm the intuition that opening averages of 45+ and number-three averages of 50+ represent similar levels of exceptional achievement when position difficulty is accounted for.
Frequently asked questions
How do teams decide where to bat a new acquisition in the order?
Teams consider multiple factors when assigning a new player's batting position: their technical strengths (batsmen who are better against the new ball — good at leaving and playing late — are candidates for opening; batsmen who prefer a slightly older ball with more time to settle in are mid-order candidates); their performance data in domestic cricket at specific positions (a batsman who averaged 55 opening in domestic cricket but 38 at three tells a clear story); their temperament (consistent, technically solid batsmen tend toward top-order positions; more aggressive, improvisational batsmen toward the middle order where they can play situation-dependent innings); and the team's existing structure (if positions 1-3 are strong, a good bat may go to 5 or 6 by necessity).
Why do some great batsmen refuse to open despite technical suitability?
Opening in Test cricket is physically and psychologically demanding in ways that some high-quality batsmen find unsuitable for their best cricket: the new ball's threat means the opening period requires maximum discipline and restraint, suppressing the attacking instincts that make some batsmen exceptional in the middle order; the risk of a low score early in the innings is higher, affecting the team's position significantly; and the mental preparation required to face the best bowling attack in its best condition for long periods may not suit a batsman whose strengths are in accelerating once settled. Adam Gilchrist (who batted 7 for Australia) had the technical ability to open but his best cricket came in the lower middle order where his aggression from ball one was an asset rather than a risk. Similarly, Rohit Sharma opened in Tests only after years as a middle-order player — the adjustment to the opening role changed his approach significantly.
Does batting position affect limited-overs averages differently than Test averages?
Limited-overs batting position affects averages differently because the match context and role expectations differ by position more sharply than in Tests. In T20 cricket, the opening position is often filled by the most aggressive batsmen (the powerplay is their preferred territory), the middle order by finishers and anchors, and the lower order by improvisation specialists — the 'average' for each position reflects a different role, not just a different difficulty level. An opener averaging 30 at 150 strike rate in T20 is providing more value than a number five averaging 38 at 110 strike rate, because the strike rate and powerplay exploitation matter more than absolute average. Position-specific T20 metrics therefore tend to include strike rate and 'impact' measures rather than average alone.