India vs England: 3 reasons why Prithvi Shaw can be the ideal replacement for Cheteshwar Pujara at No.3 

Following Shubman Gill's injury, it is being reported that Team India want Prithvi Shaw as his backup for the upcoming five-Test series against England. Despite India already having two openers - Mayank Agarwal and Abhimanyu Easwaran - at their disposal, they still want Shaw, who can be used either as an opener or at No.3 in place of Cheteshwar Pujara.

Prithvi Shaw has been in tremendous form lately and the Indian team management feels he will be a valuable addition to the squad in England.

According to reports, the Indian team prefer Prithvi Shaw as a replacement for Shubman Gill and want him to be flown to England at the earliest. They are expected to raise this as a formal request with the BCCI. (1/2)#India #TeamIndia #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/6s9rxyk5lV

— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) July 3, 2021

In this article, we will try and analyze why Shaw can turn out to be a good replacement for Pujara as India's No.3 in Tests in English conditions.

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#1 Prithvi Shaw's experience as a Test opener might come in handy

Prithvi Shaw scored a century as an opener in his debut Test match

Prithvi Shaw has been a specialist opener throughout his career across all formats of the sport. He knows how to handle the new ball, which generally swings and seams more. His experience at the top of the order makes him a better option than any specialist middle-order batsman to come in at No.3 in English conditions.

If one of the openers departs early, the No.3 batsman has to come in and face the new ball, a challenging task in England. Having prior opening experience will help Prithvi Shaw adapt better and play his natural game as a one-down batsman. For a middle-order batter, the conditions might seem alien and they might find scoring difficult against the swinging new ball.

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#2 Prithvi Shaw's ability to score runs quickly

Prithvi Shaw scoring a quickfire half-century in New Zealand

Prithvi Shaw is a naturally aggressive batsman who loves to play freely in all conditions. As a result, he keeps the scoreboard ticking and takes the game forward quickly. His high-risk style can be dangerous at times, but if he clicks, he can take India to match-winning positions more often than not.

Who would you pick? 🤔🇮🇳#DevduttPadikkal #PrithviShaw #RuturajGaikwad #India #TeamIndia #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/PFig13Y5fw

— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) June 29, 2021

The main reason why Cheteshwar Pujara's place in the Indian Test playing XI has become uncertain is because of his ultra-defensive batting style. He has been unable to score runs quickly, thereby putting his partners under pressure at times.

Prithvi Shaw's attacking style of batting could be the perfect solution to the issue. However, the stability provided by Pujara cannot be expected from Prithvi, who has a flashy playing style.

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#3 Prithvi Shaw is young and has a long future ahead

Shubman Gill & Mayank Agarwal are ahead of Prithvi Shaw as Team India's opening options in Tests

Prithvi Shaw is just 21 years old and has a long and promising future ahead of him. If he is able to settle down at the No.3 position in Test matches, he can be looked at as a long-term solution.

Competition for spots at the top of the order will also decrease, with India already having five to six solid opening options - Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhimanyu Easwaran.

Trying out Prithvi Shaw in place of Cheteshwar Pujara in the No.3 position in Test matches can turn out to be a good idea for all parties involved.