I Feel He Deserves An Opportunity As A Test Opener: Reetinder Singh Sodhi Bats For Uncapped Abhimanyu Easwaran For An Opportunity In England Tests

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Reetinder Singh Sodhi has expressed his surprise over the Indian team management’s request for additional openers despite the presence of Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, and Abhimanyu Easwaran.

With regular opener Shubman Gill set to be ruled out of the Test series due to shin injury, reports have emerged that the management has asked for backup openers in the form of Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal.

“Chetan Sharma and the senior selection committee have chosen excellent players, twenty guys have been sent. Twenty players are enough, some are net bowlers and others can come in as replacements. There is a demand to send more openers from India, it is very difficult to understand this,” Reetinder Singh Sodhi told India News Sports.

Reetinder Singh Sodhi believes that the likes of Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, and the uncapped Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran are good enough options to replace Shubman Gill.

Mayank Agarwal had a breakout first year as a Test opener in 2019-20 where he scored a couple of crucial 70s in Australia besides smashing a couple of double tons at home against South Africa and Bangladesh.

However, poor outings in New Zealand and the first two Tests in Australia last winter led to his sacking from the team.

KL Rahul, on the other hand, has five Test hundreds against his name including a brilliant 149 at the Oval during the last England tour.

However, repeated failures in South Africa, England, Australia, and the West Indies in 2018 and 2019 meant that the stylish opener was dumped out of the side in August 2019.

Since then, Rahul hasn’t played a single FC game and according to media reports, the Indian management is looking to integrate him in the middle order.

Abhimanyu Easwaran, on the other hand, is averaging over 40 in domestic FC cricket for Bengal. And, Reetinder Singh Sodhi believes that the Dehradun-born cricketer deserves a chance at the highest level.

“Shubman Gill is injured, you have replacement openers in Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran is a player who has been waiting for an opportunity for a number of years. He has set the stage on fire by scoring runs in the Ranji Trophy and even captains Bengal,” he added.

“I feel he deserves an opportunity as a Test opener. At the end of the day, my personal opinion is that if you have Abhimanyu Easwaran, Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul there, you should give them a chance first.” Sodhi signed off.4

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