Yesterday the reports came in of the Indian Captain Rohit Sharma testing positive for Covid-19. The report was followed by speculations of Sharma being doubtful of featuring in the Edgbaston Test. Opener Mayank Agarwal has been roped in to join the Indian squad in the UK to fill in the place of Hitman. Rohit played on the first day of the warm-up Test against Leicestershire before being placed under isolation. He had tested positive in a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
Mayank couldn’t make it into the 15-member Test squad announced by the BCCI. But after KL Rahul was ruled out due to injury and now after Rohit’s abatement from the squad has opened doors for Mayank.
“Mayank is flying today as a cover for Rohit and if need be will be available for the Test match as UK Covid protocols don’t require any quarantine period on landing if RT PCR test is negative,”
A BCCI SOURCE TOLD PTI.
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Will Mayank improve his Poor form?
Mayank’s last Test appearance came in March this year against Srilanka back at home. He managed just 59 runs (33, 4 & 22) in three innings in two tests. He also had a poor run while leading Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, scoring 196 runs in 13 games. His team finished sixth in the points table featuring 10 teams. These strings of low scores can be a rising concern for him as well as for the selectors. Agarwal has featured in 21 Tests so far, scoring 1488 runs at an average of 41.33.
Check Out: India vs England Test 2022 – Dates, Time, Venue, Live Streaming and Squad
The fifth Test against England is from last year’s incomplete series which got spilled to this year due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Indian camp. India is leading the series 2-1. If the visitors can win or even draw this Test, India will be writing history in England because then this will be India’s first Test series win in England.
