"Open with Saha if Mayank goes out" - Wasim Jaffer picks who will make way for Virat Kohli in the 2nd India vs New Zealand Test

Wasim Jaffer feels either Ajinkya Rahane or Mayank Agarwal will make way for Virat Kohli when he returns to action in the second Test against New Zealand in Mumbai. The Test captain has been on a break from international cricket since the T20 World Cup 2021, having missed the T20I series and the ongoing first Test in Kanpur.

Both Mayank Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane have failed to inspire confidence with the bat in the past few days. The opener, making his comeback after over 10 months, recorded scores of 13(28) and 17(54) in the two innings. Rahane, who is captaining the team for the match, mustered 35(63) and 4(15).

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo on Sunday, Wasim Jaffer said it's a tough toss-up for Virat Kohli. The former opening batter asserted:

"It's a toss-up between Mayank Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane. I would think on those two. That's the toss-up that Virat Kohli has to make. Whether he wants to go with Mayank Agarwal and give him another go or whether [he thinks] Ajinkya Rahane hasn't got enough runs in the last 10-12 Test matches after that Melbourne Test so he goes out. It's a tough call, definitely a tough call. It depends on whom the sword falls on."

Wasim Jaffer also added that if Mayank Agarwal gets the ax, he'll choose veteran wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha to open alongside Shubman Gill in Mumbai. Wasim Jaffer explained:

"I think I will open with Saha if at all Mayank Agarwal goes out because then everybody bats out of their position. Pujara will open and then Ajinkya Rahane will bat at some other position... If Saha opens then everyone bats at the same position. And you can do that in Indian conditions with Saha. Is it a long-term call? Definitely not because India will go to South Africa. So they'll have to reconsider their top-six for Mumbai."

Wasim Jaffer's remarks came after Day 4 of the Kanpur Test. Batting in his usual position of No. 8, Saha (61* off 126) rescued the team from 103-6 to a declaration-worthy 234-7. He got brilliant support from Shreyas Iyer (65 off 125) and Ravichandran Ashwin (32 off 62).

More than Rahane and Agarwal's troubles, it's Iyer's brilliant debut that has made the situation interesting. A record 170 runs in his maiden Test, and that too at No. 5, has made him difficult to drop. Rahane has averaged in the low 20s this year, but his seniority and experience have helped him keep his place intact so far.

"It's the easier decision to make" - Danil Vettori agrees with Wasim Jaffer

Former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori also backed Wasim Jaffer's call. He said most selection panels make pick the easier route in a dilemma and leaving out Mayank Agarwal is in that category. Vettori expounded on the subject, saying:

"I think most selection panels take the easy decisions and I don't blame them for that. The easy decision is to leave Mayank out and open with Saha which I think is fair enough on a stop-gap scenario because Rohit will come back and KL Rahul will be fit again and they'll look at those guys for South Africa. So for a one-off Test match, to keep the balance, to keep the feeling off the order that they want I don't see any issues with that. Whether it's the right call to leave Mayank out is debatable but I think it's the easier decision to make so they'll go with that."

India set a target of 284 for the Black Caps. They also got an early lucky breakthrough to reduce New Zealand to 4-1 before stumps.