The Unfair Case Of Mayank Agarwal: India and New Zealand are all set to lock horns with each other in the second and the final Test match of the ongoing series at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. After the first Test match in Kanpur ended in a draw, both the teams will leave no stone unturned to win this do-or-die match.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Test match will also see the return of India’s regular skipper Virat Kohli after the star batsman took a break from the T20I series and the first Test match against New Zealand.
With the Indian skipper coming back into the playing XI, one of the batters will have to make way for him if the hosts opt to stick with their five-bowler theory. N0w the question that comes before the Indian think tank is whom do they drop for the second Test match?
Will it be one of the senior batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara or Ajinkya Rahane, who have once again found themselves under the scanner for not scoring big runs? Both the cricketers have combined to average only 27.3 in the last two years. Or will it be the middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer, who played as Kohli’s replacement for the first Test and gave amazing performances, scoring 105 & 65 in his two innings? Or will it be young opener Mayank Agarwal?
Well, several former cricketers, experts, and pundits have come out with an opinion that opener Mayank Agarwal, who made 13 & 17 in the first Test, should be dropped in the next game in Mumbai.
Who should be dropped?:
If we look at the numbers, Ajinkya Rahane, who led the Indian cricket team in the absence of Virat Kohli, should be dropped, as he is struggling badly with his form. Rahane, who played a stunning knock of 112 runs on the Boxing Day Test against Australia, has only scored two half-centuries in 20 innings after that knock. There’s no secret that Rahane’s record at home is not good, so why sacrifice a place for him?
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Talking about Cheteshwar Pujara, the senior batsman has been dropped for much less in the past. He impressed one and all with his heroics during the Australia tour. However, he has been going through a rough patch. It has been more than 3 years since he last scored a century. He is known for tiring the bowlers down with grit and will, but eventually, he has always needed an assertive batsman with him at the non-striker’s end.
Here’s Why We Believe It Will Be Unfair If Virat Kohli Replaces Mayank Agarwal In The Team:
Mayank Agarwal has an outstanding overall record as an opener in the Indian conditions, unlike Ajinkya Rahane. He has done wonders while playing for his team in first-class games but despite this fact, he is one of the most underrated cricketers. If he gets replaced in the Mumbai Test match, it will be extremely unfair to him as he has not got a proper run in the longest format yet.
Though Mayank Agarwal averages 43.28 after playing 15 Test games, but the cricketer is known for his attacking style in home conditions. He has scored double-centuries against Bangladesh and South Africa. Last year, the cricketer had to make way for the opening batsman Rohit Sharma midway in the Australia series and later on had to miss England with an injury.
In the recently concluded 2021 edition of the IPL, Mayank turned out to be the second-highest scorer for the team — after skipper KL Rahul. Agarwal provided the team with some good starts to his side as he amassed 441 runs for Punjab Kings.
The cricketer hasn’t got the proper opportunities that he deserves. It will be extremely unfair to drop him after playing him for one Test match just to back two veterans, who are struggling with their form right now.
India has a lot of talent waiting in the wings and we feel that this talent should be backed, especially when the seniors are struggling badly.
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