5 Indian batsmen who can make their Test debut against England 

India
Maybe it's time these youngsters feature in one of these lists

The Indian team, currently ranked No.1 in Tests, started the tour of England with a lot of promise. With decent performances in limited overs cricket, it seemed that the team can create history in the longest format. All those expectations have been shattered to quite an extent after the one-sided loss in the second Test.

Even in the first test, the team was able to put up a fight only because of Virat Kohli's performances in both the innings. While Virat Kohli is leading the run chart of the series with 240 runs, no other Indian batsman in the top 6 has scored more 50 runs. Hardik Pandya and Ravichandran Ashwin are the second and the third highest run scorers for India with 90 and 85 runs respectively.

Barring the three Indian players aforementioned, no other frontline batsman has an average in excess of 20. When the experienced batsmen are failing to such an extent, the obvious yet tricky thought that comes to the mind is why not give new players a chance?

So with this thought, we look at 5 possible batsmen who can find a place in the starting XI in the last 3 Test matches. The list comprises of one youngster who is in the squad right now and the four players who have a high chance of making to the squad for the final two Tests, which is yet to be finalised.


#1 Rishabh Pant

England Lions v India A - Day Four

Rishabh Pant has been knocking at the doors of the limited-overs team for quite a while but his recent performances for India A in England are making his case stronger even in the Test team. Playing for India A in England, Pant performed consistently with the bat scoring three half-centuries in four innings in red ball cricket and for these performances, he has rightly been rewarded with a place in the national squad.

The chances of him making a debut in the third test are high because of Dinesh Karthik's lacklustre performances with the bat and behind the stumps. In addition to dropping a few chances, Karthik could manage only 21 runs in 4 innings at an average of 5.25.

On the other hand, Pant's first class record speaks for him. He scored 1744 runs with an average of 54.50 that too with a strike rate of 95.24. It won't be a surprise if Pant makes it to the first XI in the third Test itself.

#2 Shreyas Iyer

England Lions v India A - Tri-Series International
England Lions v India A - Tri-Series International

After performing consistently in domestic cricket, Shreyas Iyer has made it to the limited-overs squad of the Indian team. Recently, he also captained the India A side in England.

The 23-year-old also got into the Indian test squad as a replacement to Virat Kohli for the final Test against Australia at Dharamsala in 2017. In spite of featuring in the Indian test squad once, he did not get another opportunity to make it to the side.

With the kind of talent that he possesses, he might make it to the test team sooner rather than later. The young Mumbai lad has an average of 54 in first-class cricket and that might just be one of the many reasons for the selectors to pick him up.

#3 Mayank Agarwal

ECB XI v India A - Tour Match
Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agarwal has been making quite a lot of noise in the domestic circuit and that too for all the right reasons. In the last season alone, he scored 2162 runs in 32 innings across all the tournaments - Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Irani Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Deodhar Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy.

Right now, the Karnataka batsman is continuing his rich vein of form after faltering in this year's IPL. Playing for India A, the right-handed batsman scored 220 runs against South Africa A. If he continues his good performances in domestic cricket like he has done in the past year or so, he might don the national colours very soon, if not against England.

#4 Prithvi Shaw

England Lions v India A - Day Two
England Lions v India A - Day Two

Prithvi Shaw is one of the most promising youngsters right now. The right-handed batsman has been scoring runs consistently for Mumbai and India A. In the last four matches that he played for India A, he scored two big centuries. The Mumbai batsman has his share of weaknesses but he has been improving on a consistent basis.

At such a young age, the 18-year-old has scored 1418 runs in 14 first-class matches at an average of 56.72. With three openers in the Indian squad - Murali Vijay, Shikar Dhawan, and KL Rahul - failing to perform in the first two matches, the selectors might as well give the youngster a try for the last two matches.

#5 Hanuma Vihari

ECB XI v India A - Tour Match
ECB XI v India A - Tour Match

Of all the IPL rejects, Hanuma Vihari might be the only player who has been able to stay relevant even in the minds of the audience. In first-class cricket, Virhari's record is second to none. He has scored an outstanding 5142 runs at an average of 59.79. Playing for India A, he scored 148 against South Africa A in the second unofficial Test.

What many people are unaware of him is that he has the experience of playing in English conditions and that increases his chances of playing in the current tour. He played for Hutton CC in the Essex County League in 2014 and 2015. During his 2014 stint, he broke the record for most runs for the 150-year-old club. He scored a mammoth 1007 runsand broke the previous record of 940 runs.

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Edited by Raunak J