The debate on who should open the innings in the first Test of the four-match series in Adelaide is raging in both teams. While Australia battles with form and injuries for the opening slots; India has its own problems in picking who should open.
Mayank Agarwal is almost guaranteed to open the innings, given his performance on the last Australian tour here. However, India has three further options in Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill to partner him in Rohit Sharma’s absence.
Shubman Gill made 33 in the third ODI for India and then followed it with 43 and 65 in the pink-ball practice match in Sydney. Agarwal hit 22 and 28 in the two ODIs and managed a duck and a half-century against Australia A. Shaw, on the other hand, has registered a duck, 19, 40, and 3.
But former India pacer feels that experienced KL Rahul should open the innings with Mayank Agarwal in the first Test. Rahul has been battling dodgy form in Tests, but his white-ball run has been phenomenal over the last year and a half and Nehra feels this gives an edge to Rahul as well.
“There is the question surrounding India’s opening pair, as to who will open with Mayank Agarwal. I wouldn’t exactly call it a weakness, but it surely is a concern at this point. You can look at Shubman Gill or even Prithvi Shaw for that matter.
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But I believe it should be KL Rahul to open the batting for India. If he can score runs given the kind of form he is in, this weakness can transform into a strength for India. I would want him to play,” Nehra said in a video on Cricbuzz.
Nehra also backed Mayank Agarwal to do well on the basis of his form in the 2018-19 series. Making his debut for India in that series, Mayank scored 76 and 42 at the MCG and followed it with a knock of 77 in Sydney as India secured a memorable 2-1 lead to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and also register their first Test series win on Australian soil in 71 years.
“Mayank Agarwal had played a couple of useful innings for India during the previous tour. With him, KL Rahul makes a lot of sense. He hasn’t had the best of runs for India in Tests in the last year and a half. He’s been dropped too, but it’s an opportunity for Rahul,” Nehra pointed out.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
