"Mayank Agarwal is wasting his opportunities" - Aakash Chopra says he is slightly concerned about the Indian opener
Aakash Chopra has highlighted that Mayank Agarwal has wasted his opportunities at the top of the order in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka.
Agarwal managed 22 runs in India's second innings on Day 2 of the pink-ball Test in Bengaluru. The opening batter aggregated 59 runs across his three innings in the two-Test series against the visiting Lankan side.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Agarwal is letting go of his chances. He elaborated:
"Mayank Agarwal is wasting his opportunities. You didn't play well in Kanpur, it was being felt that you might not play in Mumbai but got to play because of injuries and scored a lot of runs, which is fantastic."
The former India cricketer highlighted that Agarwal has not done enough to merit a place in the Test side once KL Rahul is fit and available. Chopra explained:
"Then you go to South Africa, you play one good knock and then the situation becomes topsy-turvy. You come to India and get out in the first match and both innings here. KL Rahul is sitting out, you have not scored those many runs that when the next Test match happens and KL Rahul is available, you are played."
Rahul has stood out as an opener in India's last two away tours of England and South Africa. He is almost a certain pick as Rohit Sharma's partner at the top of the order in the game's longest format.
"It is going to be a problem" - Aakash Chopra on Mayank Agarwal not utilizing his chances
While acknowledging that the Bengaluru surface is not an easy one to bat on, Aakash Chopra highlighted that Mayank Agarwal's failure to make a significant contribution in the first Test was a bigger miss.
"It is going to be a problem. It was a chance, you have let it go. There were better chances to score runs in Mohali but that didn't happen. Here the conditions were slightly difficult - you got run out in the first innings and got dismissed in the second innings."
While expressing his concern for Agarwal, the reputed commentator had a contrasting opinion about Rohit Sharma. Chopra said:
"So I am slightly concerned about Mayank Agarwal but I am extremely impressed with Rohit Sharma. Although he scored only 46 runs but that is a lot of runs on this pitch, it is like 86 on any other pitch. The way he played was absolutely sensational, he had a game plan."
Rohit Sharma looked comfortable in the middle during his 46-run knock. He was caught at long-on while going for a maximum to reach his half-century.