Team India opener Mayank Agarwal’s poor run with the bat continued as he managed only five runs in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Soon after his departure, there were calls from certain sections to replace Mayank with Rohit Sharma, who will be available for selection from the third Test.
Incidentally, Mayank Agarwal’s technique has been under the scanner as pointed out many former cricketers. He has struggled to bring the bat down on time to tackle the incoming deliveries. The batsman from Karnataka was under immense pressure coming into this game but Mayank has once again failed to deliver the goods for his side.
After getting out for a duck in the first essay, many expected to Mayank Agarwal to bat till the end in the second innings with India needing only 70 runs to win. But the batter looked shaky and completely out of place right from the start of the innings with left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc posing all sorts of trouble for the right-handed batsman.
Mayank Agarwal’s lean patch continues
With his feet not moving, Mayank Agarwal tried to chase an away delivery from Starc only to find a faint edge. He could have left it alone but he goes at it with hard hands to give Tim Paine a regulation catch.
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Meanwhile, soon after his departure, Mayank started to trend on microblogging site Twitter with fans urging BCCI to drop him in favour of Rohit Sharma. The Mumbai batsman arrived late due to injury concerns and is currently in quarantine. He is likely to join with the Indian team later tonight and will start training.
With Rohit an obvious selection, the management is likely to bench Mayank Agarwal after Shubman Gill impressed one and all with confident batting in his debut Test.
Twitter Reactions:
If Rohit Sharma has to come back for the next Test, Mayank Agarwal has just might have made it a little easier for the Indian selectors on the tour
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) December 29, 2020
Mayank’s feet moving nowhere. When he made his debut at the same venue a couple of yrs ago, he was oozing with confidence. At the moment, he looks to be in a quandary. With Rohit slated to make it to the team at Sydney, Mayank might struggle to keep his place #DoddaMathu #AUSvIND
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (Modi Ka Parivar) (@doddaganesha) December 29, 2020
two years ago Mayank Agarwal made an impressive debut in the boxing day test..0 & 5 in this one and with rohit available, his spot is under a bit of threat for the next game #AUSvIND
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) December 29, 2020
Mayank Agarwal made the selection easier for 3rd Test when Rohit Sharma returns.#AUSvIND
— Ajay Srinivasan (@Ajaychairman) December 29, 2020
Mayank Replace Rohit
Hanuma Vihari Replace KL Rahul
Hope Pujara Will Come back Next match.— MSD (@Samykavin7441) December 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/RKARJUN71/status/1343753545879719936?s=20
Prithvi Shaw watching Mayank Agarwal#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/SXTfXu7SSV
— Pulkit Patel (@pulkitjpatel) December 26, 2020