In a huge setback to the Indian team chasing a first-ever Test series win in Australia, opener Prithvi Shaw has been ruled out for the entirety of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The BCCI confirmed through a press release on Monday, 17 December, that the 19-year-old batsman failed to recover from an ankle injury sustained during India’s sole warm-up game ahead of the four-Test series.
Uncapped batsman Mayank Agarwal has been roped in as Shaw’s replacement, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya will also return to the Indian squad from injury for the final two Tests of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, at Melbourne and Sydney.
No End to Opening Blues
It has been a year to forget for India’s openers on the road. A difficult calendar, featuring tours to South Africa, England and Australia, has thus far remained a challenge unconquered by India’s opening batsman.
In 10 overseas Tests in 2018, India’s opening partnerships have yielded a meagre 418 runs at an average of 20.90. While KL Rahul and Murali Vijay did combine for a 63-run stand in the second innings of the Adelaide Test, their three other partnerships so far in Australia read 3, 6 and 0.
It was being hoped that Shaw’s return to fitness could correct the fortunes – the prodigious batsman enjoyed a healthy initiation into Test cricket, smashing 237 runs in three innings in his debut series against West Indies – but those hopes ended up being premature.
Shaw’s replacement Agarwal had earned his maiden call-up to the Indian team for that two-Test series at home, but didn’t make the XI in either of the two games.
It remains to be seen whether the 27-year-old will be thrown into the fold in the Boxing Day Test at MCG, but with a first-class batting average touching 50 and a mountain of runs across domestic formats in the last two seasons, Agarwal has a case to present.
Pandya Added to the Mix
Hardik Pandya’s fitness concerns had thrown a spanner in the works for the Indian setup ahead of the Australia Tests. The all-rounder has been out of action since September due to a back injury sustained at the Asia Cup, but proved his fitness during a Ranji Trophy game between Baroda and Mumbai this week.
The 25-year-old returned match figures of 7/102, bowling more than 28 overs, while also hitting a 137-ball 73 in a 214-minute stay at the crease while batting.
Despite unimpressive numbers away from home, Pandya was a virtual ever-present in India’s line-up during series defeats in South Africa and England.
Pandya played all three Tests of the South Africa tour, and four of the five matches in England, averaging 21.76 with the bat and 31.46 with the ball.
His inclusion, however, will provide India an option of finding an increased balance with greater depth in batting and bowling, at least on paper.
Pandya is an addition to the squad, meaning the Indian travelling contingent Down Under now comprises 19 players.
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