Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar feels that India should drop both KL Rahul for the third Test match against Australia at MCG in Melbourne. Manjrekar backed Mayank Agarwal to debut for India saying it could be a shot in the arm for the visitors. He also opined that of India don’t want to risk the unexperienced Agarwal than Hanuma Vihari could be another option at the top.

Indian captain Virat Kohli has thrown his weight behind India’s struggling openers but the tourists’ defeat in Perth showed they have yet to find a solution to their top order woes.

KL Rahul and Murali Vijay have managed only one double-digit stand midway through the four-test series in Australia, hardly the starts that would help bring India a first test series win Down Under.
Manjrekar believes Agarwal should replace Rahul and open the innings with Vijay in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

However, Manjrekar added that it will be a tough test for Agarwal and people should not have high expectations from the youngster.

“Even if you play Mayank Agarwal, we should not have high expectations because it is extremely tough for an Indian batsman to straightaway go into a Test match on an Australian pitch, especially at the top of the order, where the Kookaburra ball does a lot,” Manjrekar said to a TV channel.

Agarwal was in line to be called up as opener given that he was part of India’s Test squad against West Indies last month and has been a key member of India A’s success this year. Most recently, Agarwal scored 65, 42 and 42 for India A in two four-day fixtures in New Zealand.

He also reckoned that Vihari can be an option to not put undue pressure on Agarwal but stressed that Vijay should open with Agarwal in Melbourne.

Manjrekar said that Vihari is someone who has good technique and can tackle pace on difficult tracks in Australia.

“These are Australian conditions. Hanuma Vihari, when you see him bat, you get an impression that this is a guy, who has a good technique. His scoring shots are straight in front of the wicket and he seems calm temperamentally. He is clearly a batsman who has the game to bat at (number) 1, 2 and 3. So the sense is there having Vihari bat at the top of the order,” Manjrekar was quoted as saying.

Courtesy by : Daily Hunt