The AB of the past few years is a vastly improved batsmen.
Name one batsmen over that period who dropped from opening to batting lower down the order who hasn't improved their batting and apperared absolutely world class? Even Mike Hussey who did the same was even touted as being the best ever Australian batsman, but of course some are always quick to point out that "Huss failed opening".
Before that Bhevan, Dhoni, Andy Flower etc all looked world class batting there (4-6). Luke Ronchi couldn't cut it batting 1-3 for NZ(&AUS) but he's looked menacing at #7 for NZ. Averages 54 for them in ODIs whereas his career ODI average is 36/37.
James Faulkner for crying out loud averages 45+ batting 6-8 for AUS. And that's not because of the Not Outs. It's purely because of consistent batting from these guys.
Obviously a player of AB's class is bound to be higher than them. He's done ok at #3 even before that crazy 149 recently, so nothing suggests he would not have excelled if he continued there. However, as an opener he's a 30odd average player. 40 odd innings is enough for us to take that as fact. He's not good enough there. That's th enotion he must dispel. Hussey was happy to be written off as such. Is AB?
I just think it's downright silly for people to argue that keeping+batting, or batting+captaining, or keeping+batting+captaining is too difficult for him because.
Some throw the team balance excuse, but I haven't seen that make a 38 yr old Sanga bat lower, or discouraged BMac from opening for NZ, since both sides have been much weaker and their sides more imbalanced over the years.
I know what anyone would say if they were asked who would you prefer to open with Amla - AB or MvW/QdK/RR; and at first drop AB/Faf. They would say AB all the time. So why isn't it happening? Kallis&Smith went. Absolutely no excuse. The fact that he won't do it even for an IPL franchise is even more damning!
Mahela is fighting with the selectors to let him open. BMac does the same with NZ. Sachin opened in ODIs despite batting lower in Tests. Kohli wants to bat at 3 but Dhoni&the selectors won't let him. AB has never said he wants to bat in the top 3. If he did we all know he would have had his way because he's flip-flopped about when&where he keeps/bats/captains over the last 3-4 years. He doesn't because he knows his limitations.
He's played so many matches, but overall already he looks a level or two below the class of Kohli&Amla in ODIs statistically. I'm of the thinking that AB should not put himself in a position where at the end of his career, any stats pulled will drag up certain players who we all believe shoud be lesser players and line them up next to him as peers. And some of them will have prettier&superior stats.
Only way for him to separate himself from that is bat higher, where it's tougher. Just look at how Steve Smith is going for AUS at #3. And would have believed he's got the technique to do well there? At every opportunity he captaincs, he uses his authority to bat higher.
