Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar has been drafted into the Indian squad for the first two Tests against England as a replacement for Virat Kohli, who opted out due to “personal reasons.” Kohli is expected to be back for the third Test.
The right-handed Rajat Patidar has been in exceptional form, scoring two centuries in his last three innings for India A. With a first-class average of 46 and an impressive tally of 12 centuries, Patidar has proved himself as a dependable red-ball batter. His recent standout performances include 151 against England Lions in Ahmedabad last week, outshining the other India A batters, and registering 111 in the warm-up match against the Lions.
Rajat Patidar added to India's Test squad for the first two matches of the series as a replacement for Virat Kohli#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/c95Noldzjj
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) January 23, 2024
Having made his international debut in an ODI (one day international) against South Africa in Paarl in December last year, where he opened the innings, Patidar showed his class during his brief stay at the crease.
In other news, left-handed batter Rinku Singh has been included in the India A squad for the second four-day match against England Lions.
While it is unlikely that Patidar will feature in the playing XI for the first Test, he serves as a backup option for last-minute injuries/illness or the need for a ‘concussion substitute’, possibly, during the match.
For the first Test, the batting order is expected to feature Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer at the No.3, 4 and 5 positions respectively. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat are likely to secure the sixth and seventh spots in the Playing XI.