Mayank Agarwal approved by ICC as replacement for Vijay Shankar in India cricket team World Cup squad

Mayank Agarwal has been appproved as a replacement for Vijay Shankar in the Indian cricket team squad for 2019 World Cup by the International Cricket Council. The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad. The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 consists of Geoff Allardice (ICC, ETC chairman), Campbell Jamieson (ICC representative), Steve Elworthy (CWC representative), Alan Fordham (host representative), Harsha Bhogle and Kumar Sangakkara (both independent representatives).

Shankar was ruled out of ICC World Cup 2019 after sustaining a toe injury prior to the encounter against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Agarwal is considered as a good bet to play in his first World Cup game during the clash against Bangladesh. Agarwal blasted 442 runs at an average of 88.42 in six games with three centuries.

The Tamil Nadu all-rounder featured in three games for India and managed to score 58 runs at an average of 29. He also scalped two important wickets against the arch-rivals Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester. His contribution on and off the field will certainly be missed by India. Mayank Agarwal, on the other hand, will be playing his first ICC 50-over tournament and will look to utilize his Indian Premier League (IPL) form in the games to come. However, with the playing XI looking settled, it looks highly unlikely that Mayank Agarwal will feature in the games to come.

In press statement released by BCCI said, "Vijay Shankar sustained a non displaced fracture of the left big toe, which will require a minimum of three weeks to heal. The injury rules him out of the ongoing World Cup. The Indian team management has requested the ICC to consider Mayank Agarwal as his replacement."

Earlier in the tournament, Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the World Cup after sustaining a thumb injury. The wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant, who featured in five one-day Internationals for India, replaced him into the side and also played his first World Cup game against England. Meanwhile, India will play their next game against Bangladesh at the Edgbaston in Birmingham. The Indian team is currently placed at the second position with 11 points and need one win in their remaining two games to secure a semi-final berth.

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Vijay Shankar sustained a toe injury.
• India lost to England by 31 runs in Edgbaston.
• India need only one win to reach 2019 World Cup semifinal.