Bat like you do for Mumbai: Rahane to Prithvi

RAJKOT: As KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw batted in adjacent nets at the SCA Stadium here, a herd of buffaloes crossing over from behind the wall provided for an unusual, quirky sight -- one that forced you to smile and wonder about this cricket facility right in the middle of nowhere, off the Rajkot-Jamnagar highway.
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That backdrop sort of summarised the unique situation that India's Test team finds itself in currently.Even as the controversy over Karun Nair's non-selection despite the batsman not getting a chance on the England tour simmers on, the forthcoming two-Test series against the West Indies will serve as an audition to decide on the openers for the Test tour to Australia.
ALL IN A DAY'S WORK: A herd of buffaloes forms the backdrop as Indian players go through nets in Rajkot. (TOI Photo)
While in Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, India have possibly the strongest opening combo in limited-overs cricket, the scene is completely different in Test cricket. Both Dhawan and Murali Vijay, who have featured in a home Test regularly for the last few years, are out after ordinary returns in England which has put Shaw and Agarwal, two of the most consistent performers in domestic cricket and at the India A level in recent times, in the fray.
One of them is set to walk out with Rahul to open in the first Test, but will the team management be brave enough to try out a completely new partnership at the top by playing both Shaw and Agarwal, while leaving out Rahul? The trio batted together for a decent time at the nets on Tuesday.
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"I think it is an opportunity for each individual, particularly the guys who are coming in… Prithvi, Mayank, or (Mohammed) Siraj, they all did well in domestic cricket and for India A. It is a reward for them," felt batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who too will be keen to find some runs after a rather poor series against England.
Would there be pressure on the new opening batsmen in the team, considering that they will have just two Tests to present their case to get picked for the Australia tour. "There is no pressure at all. We will know the combination what we are going to play. The management is backing every individual. It is all about going out there and expressing yourself rather than thinking about the future or what is going to happen," said Rahane.
The 30-year-old had sound advice to offer, though, to Shaw, his fellow Mumbaikar, who could be making his Test debut on Thursday. "He's an attacking opening batsman. I just want him to play like he plays for Mumbai and India A, and I think he'll be fine." It was perhaps a subtle way to urge the team management to not curb Shaw's natural, free-flowing aggressive game.
If Rahul and Agarwal open, it would perhaps be the first time that a Karnataka pair opens in Test cricket for India. If Shaw gets his chance, it could be the start of another glorious career of a Mumbai batsman.