Xtra Time Web Desk: Chetan Sharma led selection committee is heading for a tussle with the Indian team management in the next few days over the inclusion of Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal as back up openers in England ahead of the test series. As per reports the selection committee has declined the request of the Indian team management to send Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal as back up openers to England. The request was made following the injury to Shubman Gill after the final of the World Test Championship.
The Indian team management in England has written an email dated June 28 asking for a replacement for Shubman Gill. The team management asked for Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal as back up openers. It is learnt that the selection committee headed by Chetan Sharma has declined the request from the team management. The selectors want the team management to draft Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran in the squad who is already with the team in England as a reserve player. But the team management is not too confident about Abhimanyu’s ability to counter the new ball in England.
Currently the Indian team management is left with only three options as far as opening batsmen is concerned with regular openers Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. KL Rahul, who was picked in the side as a middle order batsman is also considered to be an option. Rahul has opened the batting before in England on the previous tour in 2018.
Both Shaw and Padikkal are part of India’s limited-overs squad which is currently in Sri Lanka for the white-ball series.