Mumbai: India have the perfect opportunity to find a solution to their top order batting woes before their year-end series in Australia when the world’s top-ranked side host two Tests against lowly West Indies, starting Thursday.
Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan opened for India in the first match of the recent five-Test series in England but the duo were dropped following modest returns during the 1-4 defeat.
KL Rahul, the third opener in England, survived the axe after posting a 149 in the final Test at the Oval and will walk out to face the new ball against West Indies in the company of either Mayank Agarwal or Prithvi Shaw, who are both uncapped.
Agarwal, 27, was rewarded for a 2017-18 season in which he scored heavily across formats while the 18-year-old Shaw has already been tipped to have a bright future in national colours.
Agarwal and Shaw will be keen to make the most of their chances and book their place for India’s four-Test series in Australia, though Vijay has responded to being dropped by making a hundred and three half centuries in his last five innings for Essex in the County Championship.
The trip to Australia will be the last chance in 2018 for Virat Kohli’s men to show they can match their formidable home form with success abroad and show the world why they are the world’s top-ranked Test side.
India, who last lost a Test series at home in late 2012 against England, started the year with a 2-1 loss to South Africa but then thrashed debutants Afghanistan at home in a one-off Test before flying to England.
Roach to miss series opener
Rajkot: West Indies pacer Kemar Roach will miss the opening Test against India as he has been forced to fly back to Barbados following the death of his grandmother. He will rejoin the squad midway through the first Test beginning here, Thursday. “He is a very experienced fast bowler with great skill. He is one of our leaders. It is a big loss. Missing Kemar is a big hole but we have got some bright talents coming through in Keemo Paul and Sherman Lewis who can surprise India,” said Windies coach Stuart Law.
