Australia vs India: Prithvi Shaw ruled out; Mayank Agarwal gets a look in

Young India opener Prithvi Shaw, who had missed the opening two Tests against Australia owing to an ankle injury, has now been ruled out from taking part in the remainder of the Test series. Continuous pain in his left ankle compelled the team management into taking the decision.

Mayank Agarwal has been called up as his replacement.

The 19-year-old, who scored a hundred on debut and was expected to play a key role against the Kangaroos, had sustained the ankle injury while attempting to take a boundary catch during India’s Tour game against Cricket Australia XI. Head coach Ravi Shastri has hoped that Shaw will be available for the Boxing Day Test, but now it has been confirmed that he is ruled out for the entire tour. The team management has decided to send him back home for further treatment.

Also read: Australia vs India: Visitors stare at loss in second Test

With regular openers, KL Rahul and Murali Vijay struggling for runs in the combined eight innings – neither have scored a half-century – that they have played in the opening Two Tests, Shaw was expected to walk straight into the playing XI at MCG. And therefore his injury will come as a huge blow for the Virat Kohli led-side aiming to clinch their maiden Test series in Australia.

His replacement, Mayank Agarwal, is yet to make his Test debut. but has a phenomenal record in the domestic circuit. The 27-year-old, who represents Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy, has scored 3521 runs from 45 first-class matches at an average of 50.30. He has the highest score of 304 not out and was part of India’s Test squad for the home Test series against West Indies but did not play a match.