With the Test series against England in pocket, it was expected that the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team would go in for some experimentation in the fifth Test. The final match of the series starts on Thursday in Dharamsala and Rajat Patidar, who had had a pretty ordinary series so far, was under scrutiny. In three Tests, Patidar’s scores read 32, 9, 5, 0, 17 and 0. Out of all the debutants in the Test series so far, his is the most lacklustre show.
With the addition of Devdutt Padikkal, who has played two T20Is so far, there was speculation that he might be chosen over Patidar in the final Test. But now, a report has said that since the series has already been sealed, Patidar will get one more chance.
“The team wants Patidar to get one more chance as they feel Patidar has talent and it’s a matter of time before he gets runs. As India has already won the series, the team wants to try him out one more time instead of giving a debut to Devdutt Padikkal,” a source told The Indian Express.
Patidar, 30, was included in the India Test squad as a replacement for Virat Kohli, who has gone on a break due to personal reasons. He made his debut in the second Test at Visakhapatnam after KL Rahul was injured.
Senior India batter KL Rahul will not feature in the fifth and final Test against England in Dharamsala owing to an injury while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will return to the team, the BCCI said on Thursday. Rahul, who continues to feel sore in his right quadriceps, has travelled to London to get an expert opinion on his injury.
The wicketkeeper-batter became unavailable after the series-opener in Hyderabad in January and as per the BCCI, he was 90 per cent fit before the third Test in Rajkot earlier this month.
“Mr. KL Rahul, whose participation in the final IDFC First Bank Test was subject to fitness, has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring him and coordinating with specialists in London for further management of his issue,” the Board said in a release.
Meanwhile Bumrah, who was released from the squad for the fourth Test in Ranchi in line with the team’s workload management policy, will link up with the squad in Dharamsala for the final Test, beginning March 7.
India have already taken an unassailable 3-1 lead, following the victory in the fourth Test in Ranchi.
Rahul’s absence from the final Test means Rajat Patidar remained with the squad but the MP batter can’t be sure of his place in the playing eleven, having aggregated only 63 runs in six innings.
All-rounder Washington Sundar has also been released from the squad.
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