Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes Team India management should test Mayank Agarwal and Shubhman Gill in warm-up games before the England Test series. He feels Agarwal is no slouch and can also be given the role of opening along with Rohit Sharma in the upcoming series.
Team India lost the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand in Southampton by eight wickets. India’s batting order was a letdown in the marquee game. On the sixth day, India’s batsmen failed to spend time in the middle and got out playing bad shots.
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Gavaskar says Agarwal has scored two double centuries in Tests while opening the batting.
“Mayank Agarwal has done a really good job for India, twice he’s scored a double century opening the innings. It’s a good thing that the BCCI and Jay Shah have taken the initiative to conduct some warm-up matches before the England Tests so there you can decide who between Gill and Agarwal can open for India,” Gavaskar told Sports Tak.
“Make them open the innings together because Rohit Sharma is a certainly and he can be rested for a game. That would give you an idea who has the better technique for English conditions. And then based on that, they can make a decision whether they want to play Mayank Agarwal or Shubman Gill.”
Gavaskar further pointed out problems in Gill’s batting technique. He sees some lack in Gill’s footwork which resulted in his dismissals in recent games.
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“His (Gill’s) footwork isn’t much. He only goes in front and that’s not the case with him only in England. Even in the series in India, there too, he had just one movement which is forward. There’s no effort to go on the backfoot and that is why he plays across the line,” Gavaskar pointed out.
“Because once your feet go forward, with that balance, it’s tough to get back on the backfoot if the length is slightly short, is tough. So, he needs to work hard, there’s no doubt on his talent. But if he works a bit hard, he will get the reward.”
India will play England in a five-match Test series which will commence from August 4 in Nottingham.
