"Instead of dropping Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane should make way for Virat Kohli" - Nikhil Chopra

The former Indian cricketer Nikhil Chopra has come up with an opinion ahead of the 2nd Test against New Zealand. He wants Ajinkya Rahane to make the way for Virat Kohli who will join the team in Mumbai Test.

The former cricketer who turned as a commentator shared his thoughts while speaking on the Khelneeti YouTube Channel. He concluded that Ajinkya Rahane would be warming the bench instead of the opener Mayank Agarwal for the Mumbai Test.

Moreover, he also shared a few words about Ajinkya Rahane's form and opined that the Indian selectors should give some chances to the youngsters who were grooming well around the track.

He also stated that if Mayank Agarwal was axed from the side along with Ajinkya Rahane then the Indian team management should give an opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav who has been added to the squad as a replacement of KL Rahul.

Youngsters should be given a chance to play in India: Nikhil Chopra

While speaking on the Khelneeti YouTube Channel, Nikhil Chopra said, "Instead of dropping Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane should make way for Virat Kohli. Rahane doesn't have a great average and it shows his struggles in recent years.

Youngsters should be given a chance to play in India. It is important to give them confidence ahead of an overseas tour. If you are looking to drop Agarwal, then I'd rather pick Suryakumar Yadav for the Mumbai Test."

Apart from that, the former cricketer also mentioned Cheteshwar Pujara's form who is yet to score a hundred in the home conditions for a quite long time. In 2017, the right-handed batsman smashed his last century against Sri Lana in Nagpur.

"Playing at number three in Tests is very important. The selectors need to make a tough call as a lot of chances have been given now. It is surprising that Cheteshwar Pujara hasn't scored a century at home in recent years. Moreover, he plays a lot of balls. Him playing back-to-back maiden overs could frustrate the likes of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer," he added.