Melbourne Test: Kumble's XI drops openers, includes Mayank Agarwal
Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble has backed opener Mayank Agarwal to be included in the final XI for the Melbourne Test starting on December 26. With the series tied at 1-1 after two Test matches, India are looking to go one ahead and take an unassailable lead in the four-match series.
With the Indian openers failing to get a start in the first two games, the leg-spin legend wants to see Hanuma Vihari up the order. KL Rahul scored (2 & 44) and (2 & 0) and Murali Vijay got scores of (11 & 18) and (0 & 20) in the first two fixtures.
“I would certainly have Mayank Agarwal in the eleven, I think it is nice to get a youngster, kind of energy that you need, we have seen Hanuma Vihari perform, we have seen Kuldeep Yadav perform, we have seen Rishabh Pant perform then why not have Mayank Agarwal in the mix,” Kumble told Cricketnext.
“So will go with Hanuma Vihari, try and push him up the order. And then have Pujara, Virat and Ajinkya and Rishabh Pant as your wicket-keeper,” he added.
Kumble also wants to have five bowlers in the XI that includes three fast bowlers and experienced spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
“I need five bowlers because the fast bowlers are tired you won’t go with any other fast bowlers to be playing so it would be Shami, Bumrah and Ishant these three fast bowlers need backing up, two spinners I would go with experience, Ashwin and Jadeja both can bat as well. So those are your bottom five,” said the 48-year-old who has also coached India.
Kumble believes India have the upper hand in the series and can go 2-1 up in the series by winning the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.
“I think India still has a chance, you know to build on the first two Test matches. I mean the quality is still with India, Australia batting hasn’t look formidable but the challenge is that India has given Australia a little bit of a foot in the door and the challenge is whether Australia will get in or India close the door, we will have to wait and see,” Kumble said.
Kumble's XI for Melbourne Test:
Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah