Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir has expressed disappointment at Mayank Agarwal for not being able to convert his start into a big score on Day 1 of the Mohali Test against Sri Lanka.
Opening the batting in place of the injured KL Rahul, Agarwal gave India a brisk start alongside skipper Rohit Sharma with a 52-run opening stand. After Rohit’s dismissal for 29, Agarwal couldn’t go past 33. He has a shaky start against Surang Lakmal who moved the ball sideways but gained control as the innings progressed.
He stroked 5 boundaries in his 33-run knock of 49 balls, before he was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya. Agarwal defended on his front foot to a full ball. He covered the line expecting for turn, but the ball went on straight and hit him plumb.
Speaking with Star Sports during the Lunch interval on Day 1, Gautam Gambhir said that Agarwal had done well early on but needed to carry on into his innings. While Agarwal will be replaced when KL Rahul is fit, Gambhir asserted the importance of having a big score in your bank whenever you are filling in for someone else.
“Apart from Lasith Embuldeniya and Lahiru Kumara, there were not too many bowlers who could threaten Mayank, especially at the start of the innings. So, he’ll be obviously disappointed. He could’ve gone on to make a big one. You know that your place is not secure when KL Rahul comes back. So, all you can do is score as many runs as you can,” Gambhir said.
In December last year, at the Wankhede, Agarwal had hit a brilliant hundred against New Zealand when both Rohit and Rahul were unavailable. Then he hit a fifty at the start of the South Africa tour in absence of the injured Rohit Sharma, however, his returns in the next five innings dwindled.
He is also facing competition from Shubman Gill for the opening spot, with Gill now being fit after missing the South Africa tour due to injury.
