IND vs SL 2022: Former Indian player Parthiv Patel feels that Mayank Agarwal isn’t making the best from his given opportunities in Test cricket for the Indian team.
On Friday, Agarwal opened the innings with India’s new Test skipper Rohit Sharma against Sri Lanka in the first Test at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali. The Indian openers stitch 52 -run stand before Rohit was caught by Suranga Lakmal near fine leg after the batter attempted to play a pull shot off Lahiru Kumara’s bowling.
There is a lot of competition for the opening spots in the Indian team, and with the likes of KL Rahul out injured and Shubman Gill waiting in the wings, Parthiv Patel feels Agarwal will need to be more consistent to stay in contention.
After a sensational ton against New Zealand in Mumbai, Agarwal has failed to string together another substantial innings. Parthiv Patel added: “He scored a humdred against New Zealand and then had an inconsistent run in South Africa. Since there are many options, it is important to score big whenever you get an opportunity.”
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IND vs SL 2022: Mayank Agarwal made 33 vs SL in the first innings
IND vs SL 2022: Mayank scored 33 off 49 balls but couldn’t convert his innings into a big score as he was trapped before the wicket by Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya in the 19th over of the first session.
Mayank’s Karnataka teammate KL Rahul is currently unavailable for the Test series against Sri Lanka as he is recovering from an upper left hamstring strain, he sustained during India’s ODI series against West Indies. Agarwal was picked ahead of youngster Shubman Gill for the first Test.
It is important to score big whenever you get an opportunity: Parthiv Patel to Mayank Agarwal IND vs SL 2022
Agarwal scored just 135 runs from three Tests against South Africa as he opened the innings with Rahul in the absence of an injured Rohit. Parthiv beware Mayank that if he doesn’t score big runs in the allotted opportunities then he might lose his spot in the Indian Test side.
“The kind of options that this Indian team has, it is important to make the most of opportunities. Not every time will a player be injured. Mayank Agarwal has failed to show that much consistency,” Parthiv told Cricbuzz.
“He scored a hundred against New Zealand and then had an inconsistent run in South Africa. Since there are many options, it is important to score big whenever you get an opportunity,” he added.
India were 204/4 after 55 overs on Day 1 with Shreyas Iyer (15*) and Rishabh Pant (16*) batting at the crease.
IND vs SL 2022: Rohit Sharma’s reaction to Virat Kohli’s dismissal in Mohali goes viral
As a disappointed Kohli walked back to the change room, the camera caught the former India captain watching his dismissal on the television screen. Expectedly, Kohli seemed a bit miffed as his expressions suggested.
Just when it looked as if Virat Kohli was set for a big knock, the former India captain was undone by a delivery from Lasith Embuldeniya. Kohli’s wait for a 71st century continued as five short of a half-century, the India batter’s defence was beaten and the ball castled his off-stump. Playing his 100th Test, Kohli was dismissed for 45, leaving the spectators at the PCA Stadium in Mohali in utter disbelief. Coming round the wicket, Embuldeniya got the ball to spin just enough to fox Kohli. Perhaps deceived by the trajectory of the ball, Kohli went on to the backfoot and missed putting bat to ball.
As a disappointed Kohli walked back to the change room, the camera caught the former India captain watching his dismissal on the television screen. Expectedly, Kohli seemed a bit miffed as his expressions suggested. The dismissal cam against the run of play after the ball had clipped the off-stump, Kohli took a while to soak in what had just transpired. He was looking set, not a single false shot was played and the boundaries were coming nicely off his bat.
With Kohli having added 90 runs with Hanuma Vihari for the third wicket, the dismissal came against the run of play. Sri Lanka’s bowlers were constantly over-stepping and Vihari was even dropped of a no-ball. So when Kohli was bowled, it left even captain Rohit Sharma stunned in the change room.
Not that Kohli did not have anything to celebrate in his 100th Test. He became the sixth India batter to bring up 8000 Test runs joining a list comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag. Kohli’s wicket was followed with Vihari’s who played on for 58 off Lahiru Kumara. Back-to-back wickets allowed Sri Lanka to come back into the game and made the second session a shared one after wresting advantage back from India. Embuldeniya had grabbed 2/62 by tea on Day 1 and India had scored 199 for the loss of four wickets.
