Team India registered a comprehensive win against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Mohali on Sunday. However, the Indian team's batting order was without big names such as Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who were struggling with form.
Rahane was replaced by Shreyas Iyer, while Hyderabad batsman Hanuma Vihari was promoted to the number three position, occupied by Pujara for several years now.
On the other hand, Shubman Gill, who was expected to be included in the playing eleven, was benched. Meanwhile, KL Rahul had announced that he would not be available for the series.
Therefore, either Mayank Agarwal or Shubman Gill would have been the choice as the opening partner for Rohit Sharma, but Agarwal went through a challenging phase in South Africa. Keeping in mind Gill's scores in the last three innings (52, 47 and 44), his inclusion was surprising, but the management opted for Agarwal.
The Karnataka-lad scored 33 in the first Test. Still, former Indian opener and commentator Sunil Gavaskar suggested that the management's decision to go with Agarwal was correct. According to Sunny G, the 31-year old batter has the reputation of scoring big hundreds on Indian wickets.
Gavaskar stated that although Gill is a talented youngster, he hasn't played in any format of the game since the last two-to-three months. Any player needs to have some exposure before being considered in the playing eleven. Gavaskar stated that Agarwal's selection was justified as the right-hander scored heavily on Indian surfaces, so there was nothing wrong with it.
He also supported Vihari being played at the number 3 position. Gavaskar added that Vihari batted with dogged determination in South Africa, although he got only one chance.
"He (Gill) hasn't played any form of cricket in the last two months. He did not even play Ranji Trophy, so if you have to play for India, you need some or the other type of practice. But, of course, he has the talent. There is no doubt about it. But in the end, it is also about form," Gavaskar told Sports Tak.
"And if you see carefully, Mayank Agarwal always scores big in India's home series. He bats like a boss in India but doesn't score runs overseas. He has at least one big hundred or a double century in the home series. So, he should open," he added. Meanwhile, the batting legend also backed Vihari and Iyer to continue in the batting order," the renowned commentator added.
"And at No. 3 there is Hanuma Vihari. What has he done wrong? In South Africa, he steadied the tail in the one opportunity he got. He batted defiantly, adding runs in India's second innings. So he should get opportunities," Gavaskar concluded.