Team India may feel a pinch without Virat Kohli in the initial two Tests against England. It’s their commencement series on home ground for the running World Test Championship (WTC) round. Kohli, the star batter, withdrew his name from the squad for personal issues. He made this call after landing in Hyderabad to start his practise for the inaugural match.
With Kohli missing in the mid batting lineup, the team will need to look for other alternatives for both their active players and backup.
Potential substitutes like Cheteshwar Pujara, Sarfaraz Khan, and Rajat Patidar were being looked up, but as per recent reports, Patidar emerged as the victor.
Rajat Patidar just played his first international match in the ODI series against South Africa recently. He’s been scoring high in home games too, which earned him a spot on the national red-ball team.
It is still to be seen how India would reassemble their middle order in Kohli’s absence, especially with a specialist wicketkeeper playing in place of KL Rahul. However, Patidar’s inclusion in the team is nearly guaranteed.
In light of this, the following three reasons support Rajat Patidar’s substitution for Virat Kohli in the opening India-England Test.
1. Rajat Patidar Blistering form
Rajat Patidar’s recent performance has been the main thing that has gone in his favor. During the current shadow tour, the right-handed batter scored two hundreds in a row against the England Lions.
In the opening match of the trip, Rajat Patidar scored 111 runs off 141 deliveries. In the second match, he brilliantly scored 151 runs off 158 deliveries. At one point, India was trapped at 24/4, thus his knock was under tremendous strain. In Ahmedabad, he ended up hitting over two-thirds of the team’s total on his own, as India ‘A’ was bowled out for 227 runs.
In the few Ranji Trophy games he played for Madhya Pradesh this season, he did not have the best of scores, but his performance was clear evidence of his form. He’s been playing at the pinnacle of his game and has a great chance to establish himself in the Indian Test team throughout their transition.
2. Brings an attacking flair into the XI
In the forthcoming series, quick runs could be in demand because England follows the same concept. Making the most of your time at the crease is one way to approach losing your wicket, which is sort of unavoidable on rank turners, which are being anticipated for the five-match series.
A more aggressive alternative at the other end is not the worst, as India has strong, defensive players against spin in the form of KL Rahul. Although Shreyas Iyer is renowned for taking on spinners, his performance in the last few games has been rather doubtful.
Last time he faced the England Lions, he fought hard against their bowlers and ended up with a 95.56 strike rate. That included 19 hits to the boundary and five balls that cleared it. Given that England might play four spinners, including Joe Root, he’ll need a similar approach to stay in the game or even tip the scales in his favor.
3. Versatility
With Rajat Patidar in the lineup, Team India has a lot more choices because he can play in the initial lineup or even at No. 3 or No. 4. Patidar may come in at No. 3 or No. 4, as the hosts aren’t searching for a different opening option.
To put it mildly, Gill’s start at No. 3 has been unsatisfactory. However, if his time at No. 3 goes badly, playing Rajat Patidar at No. 3 might give Gill a shot at No. 4, which presents a left-field alternative. Gill may ultimately be playing in the middle order.
