Former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer has given his opinion on the possible replacement for Shubman Gill in the England Test series. Wasim Jaffer believes that Mayank Agarwal should be preferred over KL Rahul at the top of the order.
The 21-year-old Shubman Gill has aggravated an injury that will most likely keep him out of contention for the 5-match series starting on August 4. Wasim Jaffer expressed his sympathy towards the youngster whose injury problem got amplified following the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against New Zealand.
Shubman Gill has sustained a leg injury that makes him a doubt for India's first Test vs England https://t.co/XtKKajVkE6 pic.twitter.com/x12Xn6u07V
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 30, 2021
“He’s likely to miss the whole series. It comes as a big blow for Shubman Gill as you look forward to being part of a series like this as a youngster. Since the judgment of Indian players is usually done based on their performances in the SENA countries, Gill will feel hard done for missing the series,” he said.
India has a few backup options, however, with Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul being part of the squad. While the former seems like the obvious choice, Rahul’s experience in English conditions might come in handy. Wasim Jaffer was not of the same opinion though.
The Punjab Kings batting coach feels that Mayank Agarwal should be given the green light ahead of KL Rahul. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jaffer stated:
“At the same time, it’s a big opportunity for Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul. Especially Mayank who I hope is the first preference. He has had a good career so far, barring a couple of failures in Australia. So he will be looking forward to this opportunity.”
It’s a big series for India: Wasim Jaffer
Wasim Jaffer felt that Rahul might be a better fit for the middle-order that is currently under the scanner. India’s last victory in England came way back in 2007-08. Therefore, this will be an important series, according to the former batsman.
“I feel this is a very important series for India. The last time we won a series in England was in 2007-08. Although we came very close last time around, it wasn’t enough. The players will be looking forward to the opportunity this time,” Jaffer reckoned.
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