‘India should drop out-of-form Pujara’

NEW DELHI, Dec 28: Following Rohit Sharma’s lack of availability for the ongoing Test series against South Africa owing to a hamstring injury, Mayank Agarwal created a solid impression, making the most of his opportunity in the absence of the senior batter, as he went on to score a brilliant 60 on Day 1 of the first Test at the SuperSport Park, in Centurion.
Despite putting up an impressive show in the second Test match against New Zealand at home earlier this month, Mayank still did not seem to be India’s first-choice opener for the South Africa Test series.
Speaking on the changes, former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt feels India should continue to play the in-form Mayank, and instead drop senior batter Cheteshwar Pujara, when Rohit returns to the squad.
“He is not in form now. So, you have to replace him when Rohit Sharma returns because you cannot drop an in-form player. And I was never in favour of that move. They left out Shreyas Iyer despite that performance (against New Zealand). India have always backed their senior players, which is good, but Pujara needs to score runs,” Butt opined in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.
Pujara was dismissed for a golden duck by Lungi Ngidi and has now gone 43 innings in Test cricket without scoring a century. (Agencies)