India vs England 5th Test: Despite a quiet series so far, middle-order batter Rajat Patidar is expected to hold onto his place in the India playing XI for the fifth and final Test against England, starting in Dharamsala on Thursday. This decision suggests Devdutt Padikkal will have to wait for his Test debut.
Rajat Patidar gets another chance:
Rajat Patidar, who has managed scores of 32, 9, 5, 0, 17, and 0 in his three Tests, faced potential exclusion after the fourth Test win in Ranchi. However, with India securing an unassailable 3-1 lead, the team management wants to give him another opportunity to prove his talent.
“The team wants Patidar to get one more chance as they believe in his potential,” revealed a Indian Express’ source. “With the series already won, they prefer giving him another go rather than handing a debut to Padikkal.”
Filling the Virat Kohli void:
Rajat Patidar was called up as a replacement for Virat Kohli, who took a paternity break. He made his debut in the second Test after KL Rahul suffered an injury.
Interestingly, if KL Rahul had recovered from his quadricep injury and been available for the final Test, Patidar would have been released to play for Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy semi-final.
KL Rahul remains sidelined:
While Rahul’s participation in the final Test was initially dependent on his fitness, he was ruled out on Thursday. He is currently undergoing treatment for his injury in London, with the BCCI medical team monitoring his progress.
Support from Ab de Villiers:
Former cricketer Ab de Villiers has also backed Patidar, despite his lack of runs in the series. He acknowledges that while Patidar’s performances haven’t been remarkable, the current Indian team culture allows players to survive in the team due to the team’s overall success.
Ab de Villiers emphasized Patidar’s potential and the trust the team management might have in him. “If Patidar’s attitude is good and he fits well in the dressing room, Rohit Sharma and the selection panel might believe in him for the future and give him a longer run, even though he hasn’t scored many runs.”
With the series win secured, the focus now shifts to witnessing Rajat Patidar potentially capitalize on his final chance and solidify his position in the Indian Test team.
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