‘He May Not Be Most Gifted, But I Have Faith In Him’: Gambhir On Young India Opener

Former India player Gautam Gambhir backed young opener Mayank Agarwal, saying that "he may not be the most gifted going around but he is certainly the most organised"

Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Ahead of the much-awaited India vs New Zealand 1st Test at Wellington, former India opener Gautam Gambhir opined that team India's success will depend on how the Indian batsmen will play against the new ball bowlers. Gambhir also backed young opener Mayank Agarwal, saying that "he may not be the most gifted going around but he is certainly the most organised". While Mayank struggled to find form in the first innings of the warm-up game against Kiwis, he ended up scoring 81 (retired) in the second innings as India managed to draw against New Zealand XI in the three-day warm-up match. “I have a lot of faith in Mayank Agarwal. He may not be the most gifted going around but he is certainly the most organised. He will not treat bowlers with disdain like Virender Sehwag or a David Warner did but has the clarity of mind of an opening batsman,” Gambhir wrote in his column for Times of India. “Getting into the Test series, I don’t expect overnight changes in the way the outside world reacts to reversals but I am glad that Virat Kohli’s team looks pretty much protected from these assessments,” he further added. Gambhir also wrote it will be interesting to see how possible new openers Prithvi Shaw or Shubhman Gill react to opportunities  in New Zealand conditions. “We will have a new pair opening the batting for India. It will interesting to see how Prithvi Shaw or Shubhman Gill react to opportunities as and when they get,” Gambhir wrote. Agarwal, after the match, said he is confident of taking his good form in the Tests. "It's been a little different playing here but I want to leave all that behind whatever has happened. Yes, I got an 81 in the second innings of this practice game and I want to take this confidence forward into the Test match," he told reporters.