Devdutt Padikkal was picked to the Indian team as a substitute for KL Rahul, who was ruled out of the third Test against England in Rajkot. Devdutt Padikkal failed not make the playing XI in the third Test and was also benched for the fourth Test in Ranchi.
A piece in the Hindustan Times suggests that the 23-year-old cricketer from Karnataka is prepared for his Test debut in the upcoming fifth and closing game of the series. This fixture is scheduled at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, in Dharamsala starting March 7. Although Rajat Patidar has managed to hold his spot in squad for the ultimate Test, his participation in the playing XI is doubtful.
“Padikkal will make his debut in Dharamsala. Rahul is unlikely to be available and the team management wants to have a look at Padikkal as it is the last international fixture before the IPL,” a BCCI source was quoted as telling HT.
On that line, let us look at three reasons why Devdutt Padikkal replacing Rajat Patidar in India’s starting XI for the Ranchi Test is the appropriate decision.
1. Patidar has just not looked the part
Patidar was given his well-deserved Test debut in Visakhapatnam following some impressive home performances. At the age of 30, this individual has consistently shown great skills while playing domestic cricket for Madhya Pradesh. He also performed well for India A against the England Lions preparatory of the Test series, making hundreds in both the tour match and the first unofficial Test, both of which were held in Ahmedabad.
Nevertheless, the cricketer didn’t seem quite up to scratch in the Test series. He got a respectable 32 in his first Test innings at Visakhapatnam. However, Patidar has looked out of place in Test cricket for the previous five innings. After getting removed for 9 in the second innings in Visakhapatnam, he scored 5 and 0 in Rajkot. In both innings, he chipped balls to fielders, making routine catches and not understanding how to deal with them.
Rajat Patidar was retained for the Ranchi Test, although he again squandered his opportunity, being removed for 17 and 0. Again, he did not succumb to unplayable deliveries. In fact, with the exception of the first innings in Visakhapatnam, where he was unlucky to be bowled, the right-handed hitter has been despatched in rather gentle fashion on his other excursions to the platform. Being away from the limelight might not be a terrible thing for him right now.
2. England’s spinners face a tougher task against a left-handed heavy middle-order
India entered the Ranchi Test with only two left-handed batsmen in the middle order, while Kuldeep Yadav has also performed admirably in the lower order. Yashasvi Jaiswal leads the charge at the top of the order, while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja fills up the middle.
Having a third southpaw in the middle of the lineup would not be a terrible idea. It may make the young England spinners, who have performed admirably throughout the series, reconsider their options. Looking at how India’s left-handers have done in the series thus far, Jaiswal leads the way with 655 runs from eight innings at an average of 93.57.
Jadeja is eighth on the list of top run scorers in the India-England series, with 217 runs at an average of 43.40. However, it should be noted that he missed one of the Test matches owing to injury. Apart from Jaiswal, only opener Shubman Gill and captain Rohit Sharma have scored more runs than Jadeja in the series.
Axar Patel, who played in the first two Tests, confounded England’s bowlers by scoring 133 runs in four innings at an average of 33.25. So, much as Indian batters struggle with left-arm spinners, England’s slow bowlers appear to struggle against left-handed batters. A solid enough argument to attempt Devdutt Padikkal rather than Patidar.
3. India might as well play Devdutt Padikkal if he has been picked
With the exception of Patidar, this series has been a success for India’s debutants. Sarfaraz Khan made his long-awaited debut in the third Test at Rajkot, scoring half-centuries in both innings. With a little more luck, he may have reached three figures.
Dhruv Jurel, a wicketkeeper, also made his Test debut in Rajkot for Sarfaraz. He has performed admirably behind the stumps in both the third and fourth Tests. Speaking about his hitting, it has been game-changing. After starting with a solid 46 in Rajkot, he hit 90 in Ranchi, when India had their backs against the wall. Even in the second innings, he contributed 39* as Team India faltered in their pursuit of 192.
With Bumrah rested, the hosts gave Akash Deep his Test debut in Ranchi. He had an immediate impact, knocking out three key England batsmen in the opening session on Day 1. It’s been an excellent series for India’s debutants. With the series already won, India could as well give Devdutt Padikkal his debut cap at Dharamsala.