A significant development has taken place in Indian cricket as Rajat Patidar, the rising star from Madhya Pradesh, joins the Indian Test team to stand in for Virat Kohli. After making an impactful One-Day International (ODI) debut just last month in South Africa, Patidar is now set to wear the prestigious Test cap for India in the series against England, which commences on January 25th in Hyderabad. This opportunity comes in the wake of Virat Kohli’s withdrawal from the initial two games, as he cited personal reasons for his unavailability.
With back-to-back grand performances for India A against the England Lions, including scores of 151 and 111, Patidar undoubtedly emerged as the foremost contender to fill Kohli’s shoes for the starting Tests. These innings served as a testament to his exemplary form and readiness for the international challenge. Consequently, as reported by Cricbuzz, Patidar joined his Indian squad colleagues at the BCCI’s NAMAN awards held this Tuesday before the series opener, with expectations running high on his shoulders.
Patidar’s inclusion, however, extends the wait for another gifted batsman, Sarfaraz Khan, who has been consistently amassing an impressive tally of runs in domestic first-class cricket since the year 2020. Moreover, Patidar’s selection signals a pivotal shift in the selectors’ vision for the team, indicating a move past seasoned veterans like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane as the process of transition seems to be in full swing.
Despite the excitement surrounding his call-up, Patidar is unlikely to join the playing XI in the series opener at Hyderabad. Current team configurations suggest KL Rahul is set to take Kohli’s No.4 spot, with Shreyas Iyer expected to follow at No.5, and KS Bharat donning the wicketkeeper’s gloves at No.6. The team’s lower middle-order is anticipated to feature three spinning all-rounders, providing balance to the side.
The absence of stalwarts like Kohli and, now with no Pujara and Rahane in sight, puts the spotlight on India’s middle order. This component of the squad, not having the best of times during the South Africa tour, will face a rigorous examination of skill and mettle under English scrutiny. In other related team news, Rinku Singh, already part of the India A squad for the third four-day game against the England Lions, earned an elevation to the team for the second game as well.
Moving away from the pitch and onto other cricketing narratives, notable moments from India’s cricketing history have resurfaced, including the renowned 1983 World Cup win, the unforgettable six that sealed the 2011 final, and the recent and remarkable Gabba triumph. Ravi Shastri, the former Indian player and coach, recently weighed in with his pick for the best among these legendary achievements.
Additionally, R Ashwin has shown visible enthusiasm towards the “Bazball” approach that England has adopted under the tutelage of Brendon McCullum, who responded with a characteristic sheepish grin when addressed on the subject. Meanwhile, in the Under-19 frontier, Afghanistan’s Naseer Maroofkhil caused a stir with a crafty run-out of a non-striker against New Zealand, creating a buzz in the cricketing community.
To encapsulate the team composition, India’s squad for the first two Test matches against England includes Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), and Avesh Khan. As the series draws near, all eyes will undoubtedly be on this mix of experienced campaigners and fresh faces as they rally together to pen the next chapter in India’s storied Test cricket narrative.
