IND v AUS 2020: 'It looks like Prithvi Shaw will be Mayank Agarwal's opening partner in the first Test' - Aakash Chopra

Former opener Aakash Chopra has opined that the Indian team is likely to field Prithvi Shaw at the top of the order along with Mayank Agarwal in the first Test match against Australia. He reasoned that the Mumbaikar batted ahead of Shubman Gill in the first innings of the second warm-up encounter.

The reputed commentator made this observation while reviewing the first day's play of the pink-ball practice match in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra started by pointing out that KL Rahul not playing the second warm-up encounter implies that he is not in the Indian team's scheme of things for the first Test match.

"KL Rahul was not played which means that he is probably not in the Indian team's thinking at the moment."

The former KKR player observed that it is likely to be a straight fight between Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill for the second opener's spot along with Mayank Agarwal.

"Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill both got a chance to play. This means that it is now a two-horse race between them on who will open with Mayank Agarwal. Both scored almost the same number of runs but then there is another innings coming."

Aakash Chopra highlighted that the Indian team management is probably looking at Prithvi Shaw as he opened the batting along with Agarwal yesterday.

"It looks like Prithvi Shaw will be Mayank Agarwal's opening partner in the first Test match because he is sent ahead while Shubman Gill is at No.3."

He pointed out that the early dismissal of the Karnataka opener gave Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill an equal chance to put forth their case

"Since Mayank Agarwal got out early, Shubman Gill came almost at the start. So it seemed like he is playing as an opener itself. So it became an almost even playing field for both the batsmen."

---

Aakash Chopra on Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill's batting performances during the first day's play

Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw got starts but could not convert them into a big score

Aakash Chopra observed that both Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw were in a belligerent mood yesterday. The former scored 43 runs while the latter blitzed a quickfire forty.

"Both of them batted amazingly till the time they were there. One scored 43 while the other made 40. They were scoring at more than run-a-ball. It seemed that a T20 match was being played with a pink ball."

The 43-year-old stated that Prithvi Shaw was his usual aggressive self, as the young opener played on the up and was always on the lookout for boundaries.

"Prithvi Shaw, the way he throws the bat at the ball, playing on the rise, full of timing, hand-eye coordination, that's his strength. He hit three boundaries of four balls and after that got out to an incoming delivery."

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Prithvi Shaw got out in a similar fashion to how he was dismissed by Jofra Archer in the IPL.

"There was a gap between the bat and the pad and the ball went on to hit the stumps. A similar thing happened with him in the IPL as well against the Rajasthan Royals when Jofra Archer dismissed him."

Shubman Gill, on the other hand, got out to a peach of a delivery that moved away late off the seam.

"The delivery to Shubman Gill moved a little away and he got an outside edge to the keeper."

While acknowledging that there is a close call between Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill for the second opener's spot, Aakash Chopra opined that the former has a slight edge at the moment.

"I am still split about Mayank Agarwal's opening partner. I feel because Prithvi Shaw has scored at least these many runs and had also played decently in the last Test match against New Zealand, the balance looks to be tilted slightly towards him."

Aakash Chopra signed off by stating that Shubman Gill might get his chance in the middle order once Virat Kohli leaves for home after the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

"Shubman Gill is promising, he is playing well but he might have to still wait. It is possible that he might come in when Kohli leaves."

Although Prithvi Shaw might be slightly ahead of Shubman Gill in the race to partner Mayank Agarwal in the pink-ball Test, the final call might be dependent on how the two youngsters fare in the second innings of the warm-up match today.