Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer trusts Mayank Agarwal should accomplice Rohit Sharma in the absence of injured Shubman Gill in the impending Test series against England. The series starts off on August 4 at Trent Bridge. 

Reports of Shubman Gill sustaining a leg injury came as a major blow for the Indian Team. The youngster has had a fine beginning of his Test career and his inconvenient injury– which is expected to see him miss at least the first Test against England or more – will currently drive the team management to shuffle the opening mix. Since December last year, Gill and Rohit Sharma have been opening the innings for India, yet have confidence that will change once India versus England five-Test series gets underway in August. 

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The injury to Gill opens the entryways for Mayank Agarwal or KL Rahul to slot back in as an opener of the team. Agarwal worked effectively at the top of the order, scoring two double centuries of years prior to falling behind to Gill, while Rahul has not played a Test match for India since mid-2019. The presence of Abhimanyu Easwaran as a reserve player likewise gives India an option. However, if it was up to Wasim Jaffer, he would give his vote to Agarwal. The former India opening batsman reckons Agarwal is a greatly better fit and ought to get the preference over Rahul. 

“It will be a very big opportunity for Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul with Mayank being my first preference. He has had an astounding career up until this point. He was dropped after two poor outlings in Australia yet I am certain he will be anticipating this opportunity. Its a major series of five Test matches that can make or break a cricketer’s career. I feel KL Rahul can likewise fit somewhere in the middle-order if not as an opener,” Jaffer said on his YouTube video. 

Weighing regarding Gill, Jaffer lamented the youth’s injury for a series as big as this. The batsman started his career in a bursting style in the Test series against Australia before runs dried up against England at home and in the IPL. Fingers have been pointed at Gill’s batting technique despite the fact that he got a decent start in the first innings of the WTC final. What’s more, particularly now, with India looking for a Test series win in England after 14 years, Jaffer feels the blow possesses wrong time for India and Gill the same. 

“It will be a big blow for India just as Shubman Gill in light of the fact that as a young talent, you anticipate this sort of series to make a name for yourself. Taking into account that we judge a player by their overseas performance, it’s anything but difficult for him to miss the first couple of games,” Jaffer added. 

“It’s anything but a vital series for India since we haven’t won any series in England since 2007-08 however we have come closer. In spite of the fact that Shubman Gill’s injury will be a major blow, the players will hope to venture up and deliver.”

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Options available for India as a replacement of Shubman Gill are plenty, let’s have a look at what jaffer feels, fills the empty spot.

Mayank Agarwal

In his last Test for India, Mayank Agarwal batted in the middle-order as likewise Virat Kohli and Hanuma Vihari were unavailable in Brisbane. Nonetheless, with Gill far-fetched to include, it gives an extraordinary chance for the Karnataka batsman to solidify his position in the playing 11. Agarwal and Rohit have produced a brilliant start at the top in a limited span of time. They have put on 415 runs at an average of  69.16 on the six occasions they have opened hitherto. 

KL Rahul 

As it turns out, the last time KL Rahul scored a century was also against England at The Oval in 2018 but in a losing cause. From that point forward, he has played only seven more Tests (12 innings) in a range of close to three years and has failed to move beyond 50 even once. All of Rahul’s five-Test hundreds have come as an opener – a position where he has scored 1,195 runs at an average of 36.82.