Youngster Shubman Gill is set to earn the Test call-up for the upcoming Test series in New Zealand. As Rohit Sharma has been ruled out from the remainder of the ongoing New Zealand tour, Gill is set to replace him in the Test squad.
On last Sunday (2nd February), the five-match T20I series between the hosts New Zealand and the visitors India was concluded. The visitors won that series by the 5-0 margin. During the last T20I at Bay Oval (Mount Maunganui), the stand-in captain Rohit Sharma suffered the calf injury while he was taking a single. Soon, he walked off the field and not returned to that game. In his absence, KL Rahul led the Indian team till the end of that match.
Now, according to the media reports, Rohit Sharma has been ruled out from the upcoming ODI series and subsequent Test series of this New Zealand tour. The three-match ODI series will begin on 5th February, and it will run till 11th February. Later, they will play the two-match Test series between 21st February and 4th March.
Mayank Agarwal can replace Rohit Sharma in the ODI squad
While the ODI series will begin soon, the BCCI hasn’t announced the replacement of the limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma. According to India Today, Mayank Agarwal is likely to replace Rohit in the ODI squad. Mayank has impressed with his batting as a Test opener, but he hasn’t made a debut in the limited-overs international cricket yet.
Mayank is currently with the India A squads in the New Zealand tour. He featured in the three-match one-day series and led the India A in the last two games. In those matches, he scored 29, 37 and 24 runs respectively. Mayank is also playing in the unofficial Test series in this tour where he scored two ducks in the first game.
BCCI President has said Shubman Gill will replace Rohit Sharma in the Test squad
On the other hand, the national selectors haven’t announced the Test squad for the New Zealand tour yet. However, according to ESPNcricinfo, the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has claimed that Shubman Gill will replace Rohit Sharma for the upcoming Test series in New Zealand.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has confirmed Shubman Gill will replace the injured Rohit Sharma in India's Test squad to face New Zealand #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/v94I5FM1nJ
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 3, 2020
While Gill has played two ODIs, both in the previous New Zealand tour in early 2019, he hasn’t made the Test or T20I debut yet. Earlier, the 20-year-old earned the Test call-up during the last home Test series against Bangladesh in November 2019. But he didn’t get a chance in the Test playing XI.
In-form Shubman Gill is also touring with India A in the ongoing New Zealand tour. In this current tour, he first played two List A warm-up matches and one unofficial ODI, all as the captain. The right-handed batsman scored 50, 24 and 30 runs respectively in those matches. Later, in the first unofficial Test series in this tour, India A cricketer scored 83 and 204 not out.