Injury rules Prithvi Shaw out of ongoing Test series
Test opener Prithvi Shaw, who was set to play in his first overseas Test series against Australia, will not be featuring in the highly anticipated Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. The 19-year-old had injured his ankle during a tour match against Cricket Australia XI, and will not be recovering in time for the rest of the tournament. Mayank Agarwal has been selected as his replacement.
Shaw's performances for India were impressive
Prithvi Shaw made his debut for the Indian Test team against West Indies at the Rajkot Test in October. He was the 293rd Indian to play Test cricket and knocked up a brilliant 99-ball ton in his very first innings. Shaw scored 134 off 154 deliveries in the innings and followed it up with another brilliant 70 off 53 balls in the next match.
Mayank Agarwal as replacement- How suited is he?
As a replacement of Shaw, BCCI has called upon Mayank Agarwal to step up to the occasion. The 27-year-old is yet to receive his Test cap for India, but his long experience in first-class cricket and reputation as a prolific opener is believed to be the reason why he has been selected. Agarwal has the highest of 304* in first-class cricket.
Indian openers are struggling so far
Indian openers in the two Tests so far- KL Rahul and Murali Vijay, have been struggling on Australian soil. None of them have put up a good score for India in the four innings each has played already. Rahul made 2 and 44 in the first Test while Vijay notched up 11 and 18, with the second Test performances being equally dismal.
Can Rohit Sharma be used as an opener?
Rohit Sharma is among the best openers when it comes to the limited formats of the game, but whether he will be able to replicate that form in a Test match is debatable. Sharma has a poor Test batting record, especially on foreign soil, and therefore cannot guarantee success. However, he can be given a chance considering the form the designated openers are displaying.
