Ajit Agarkar picks India's two different Test and T20I XIIs to play at the same time

International Cricket is completely shut since March due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Even as England looks set to start their international summer from next month, there is a possibility that teams might opt to play two matches of different on the same day. India definitely possesses the talent to field two different teams and Ajit Agarkar has picked his 12-man line-up for both Test and T20I format.

Starting with the longest format of the game, he has gone with Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal to open the innings. Surprisingly, Rohit Sharma has been left out of the Test team despite him opening the innings and doing well in the 2019-20 home season. The rest of the side resembles similar to what played on the New Zealand tour earlier this year.

Interestingly, he has preferred Rishabh Pant ahead of Wriddhiman Saha for the wicket-keeper’s slot while Umesh Yadav has pipped Jasprit Bumrah in the bowling attack. The likes of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari have been regulars nowadays in Tests and their picks aren’t surprising at all. However, Ajit Agarkar went with Ravi Ashwin as his lone spinner in the side and not Ravindra Jadeja.

The latter has been preferred overseas over Ashwin in the recent past thanks to his batting abilities. Meanwhile, Shubham Gill who has been in and around the team for a while now was chosen as the 12th man.

Rohit Sharma to lead India’s T20I side

Ajit Agarkar, while speaking to ESPNCricinfo, went with Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah when it came to picking India’s T20I side. He will open the innings with KL Rahul who has been setting high standards with his batting in the limited-overs format off late. Two of the most talented batsmen in the country, Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey, he been picked to bat at three and four.

The former India cricketer chose only four proper batsmen in the T20I side backing Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to do the job of the finishers. Both the wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal formed a potent bowling attack which comprised of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Navdeep Saini as well apart from Bumrah.

Ajit Agarkar decided to have Shardul Thakur as his 12th man despite the pacer not having a great New Zealand tour with the ball. Having said that, both the Test and T20I teams look extremely strong and give any opposition run for their money. Though Agarkar didn’t name the captains of the respective teams, the choices are obvious.

Ajit Agarkar’s India’s Test XII: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravi Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Shubman Gill (12th man)

Ajit Agarkar’s India’s T20I XII: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur(12th man)