digital desk, Mumbai. Mayank Agarwal, Jayant Yadav, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammad Siraj have not only remained players in the Indian Test team, but they all played an important role in winning the series. India won the series against New Zealand with a 372-run win at the Wankhede Stadium here on Monday.
After the end of the match, captain Virat Kohli was faced with a similar question, which players must also be asking themselves, what will happen to them once they perform regularly? Will he get a chance in South Africa? Will the selectors pick him in the squad, some of whom are struggling to score runs?
The 1-0 series win against New Zealand has shown that India have a strong bench strength and it is a matter of tension for the selection committee and the team management as to who should be picked for the next tour and who is not.
On Monday, skipper Kohli said on the issue that he will discuss with the selectors whether young players should be taken or first-choice players should be given preference.
“We will discuss this with the selectors because we have good players, which is a good thing,” Kohli said during the post-match press conference on Monday. We have to be clear with these things. Before visiting South Africa it is always good to know what you want to do.
Agarwal replaces opener Rohit Sharma, who was rested after the T20I series against New Zealand and emerged as the best batsman in the second Test, scoring 150 and 62.
Siraj was given the chance in place of the injured Ishant Sharma, who was ineffective in Kanpur, the only fast bowler from both the teams doing well in this Test, taking three wickets.
In the Mumbai Test, Siraj bowled aggressively, swinging the ball both ways, which made it difficult for the batsmen to understand his line and length. Jayant Yadav was included in place of Ravindra Jadeja, who was injured during the Kanpur Test. Although he bowled well in New Zealand’s first innings, he took four wickets for 19 runs in six overs in the second innings.
Shreyas Iyer made his dream debut in place of Kohli in the first Test at Kanpur, where he scored a century in the first innings and a half-century in the second.
Kohli was asked whether players like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer will get a chance in place of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who have been struggling for months? To this the captain said that it is an issue which he will discuss with the selectors.
(IANS)
