Mayank Agarwal to join Indian team as cover for Rohit Sharma

In what comes as major news for Indian Cricket fans, opening batter Mayank Agarwal will fly to England on June 27. Originally, the Karnataka batter wasn't part of the squad for the fifth Test against England. Notably, the squad had only two opening batters, i.e. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. However, the Indian skipper tested positive for COVID -19 and thus, is isolated at the team hotel in Leicester.

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He was supposed to be tested again on June 26 but there is no update on it as of now. With only four days left, it is quite possible that the 35-year-old might not play the game. For the unversed, a COVID -19 patient needs to isolate for at least five days depending on the symptoms. Although there is no official announcement on whether the right-hander will play or not, Agarwal's services might be needed.

The 31-year-old has a fantastic record in the longest form of the game. He has played 21 games and has 1488 runs averaging 41.33 including four hundreds and six fifties with a highest score of 243. However, the Punjab skipper in the Indian T20 League 2022 had a bad season with the bat. He could only muster 196 runs in 13 games including a fifty.

Earlier, Ravi Shastri had said that Agarwal's poor form might have led to him losing his place in the Test side. The former Indian head coach had added that the captaincy pressure was putting him in the wrong place. Shastri's words almost came true, and if not for Rohit being ill, Agarwal wouldn't have been considered.

"I love the kid. I know how he plays his cricket, how determined he is. But it's putting a guy who is very good at what he does in a wrong place," Shastri had said. "And it can have problems. Serious problems. Serious repercussions. It could have cost him his place in the Indian side. Test side, everything, because the selectors will judge on current form, they will judge on what they actually see."