This is not the first time that Indian batsmen have been exposed on overseas trips. And now, the selectors might have to look outside of the trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay and KL Rahul with a tough tour to Australia coming up later this year
India went to England with three specialist openers – Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay and KL Rahul. But none of them could provide the team good starts. After three Tests, Vijay was dropped from the squad and replaced with Prithvi Shaw.
Barring captain Virat Kohli, the rest have struggled in the ongoing five-Test series against England. This has resulted in the hosts claiming the Pataudi Trophy 3-1 with still one Test to go.
This is not the first time that Indian batsmen have been exposed on overseas trips. And now, the selectors might have to look outside of the trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay and KL Rahul with a tough tour to Australia coming up later this year.
Here are four probable candidates for the opening slots
1. Prithvi Shaw
The talented teenager has made headlines with his impressive batting in domestic circuit and also for India “A”. Shaw is one batsman for the future. He is already called up to the Indian Test squad in England but is yet to get his chance.
Keeping in mind India's current opening struggles and Shaw's credentials, his contention for the slot cannot be ruled out in spite of his relative inexperience.
2. Mayank Agarwal
Having amassed runs in the domestic circuit, Agarwal is patiently waiting for his chance. He has emerged as a household name. With 1,160 runs in Ranji Trophy 2017-18 season at an astounding average of 105.45, Agarwal ruled the roost. However, Agarwal has failed to find a place in the Indian team, which is baffling.
The selection committee chairman, MSK Prasad recently said that Agarwal is just a step away from international cricket. An assumption could be made that his big break could come in the upcoming four-Test series against Australia.
3. Faiz Fazal
Hailing from Vidarbha, Fazal has been putting on show-stopping displays in the domestic circuit for quite a while. He finished as the second highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy 2017-18. Faiz scored 912 runs for Vidarbha at an excellent average of 70.15, which also included five centuries and a solitary fifty. The Vidarbha captain acted as the lynchpin around which the success of the team depended in India’s premier first-class tournament.
4. Rohit Sharma
Former cricketers and fans have often wondered why Rohit has failed to translate his limited-overs success to Tests. A prolific scorer in white ball cricket, the Mumbai right-hander has failed against the red ball. He has experience of opening in ODIs, T20Is and could be tried in the longer version of the game. This could put him on the path to five-day success.
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