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Duleep Trophy: After the Bangladesh tour, the New Zealand team will come to India to play a two-Test series and after that Rohit's team will leave for Australia to play a five-Test series. At present, when it comes to openers, it is clear that captain Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the first choice of the team's opener, but when there will be a five-Test series, the selectors will have to choose a batsman as the third opener and two openers. Both have staked their claim in the Duleep Trophy that ended on Sunday. Both claims have their own solid reasons. Meanwhile, it is very difficult for Agarkar and company to choose one. If two openers go on the Australia tour, then one question will also be that if one of the regular openers Rohit or Jaiswal gets injured, then who will be part of the final eleven.
This race is so tough!
Both the openers who staked their claim in the three matches of Duleep Trophy have scored close to the same runs. India B captain Abhimanyu Easwaran is the second highest run scorer. Easwaran, who has been scoring a lot of runs in domestic cricket for the last several years and has played for Bengal in domestic cricket, is in his 30th year. Therefore, despite playing 97 first-class matches, he did not get a chance to play for India. Easwaran scored 309 runs in 3 matches in Duleep Trophy at an average of 77.25 and two centuries. He also scored a half-century. His claim for the third opener is quite strong.
Easwaran will face Tamil Nadu player and Chennai Super Kings captain Rituraj Gaikwad, who has a slight sympathy wave in his favour, carrying with him the support of former cricketers and the sentiments of fans. Being two years younger than Easwaran is also in his favour. Gaikwad finished fourth in the Duleep Trophy with 232 runs in 6 innings of 3 matches. He scored two half-centuries. Overall, it is not easy for Agarkar and Co. to choose a third opener.