The BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has put an end to speculation regarding Virat Kohli’s replacement by adding Rajat Patidar to the Indian squad for the first two Tests against England. Kohli will be absent from the matches in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam due to personal reasons. The BCCI, in an official statement, urged respecting Kohli’s privacy and mentioned naming a replacement soon. The selection was between experienced Cheteshwar Pujara and youngsters Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, and Rinku Singh. On Tuesday night, it was confirmed that Patidar won the race.
Rajat Patidar, a right-handed batter from Madhya Pradesh, was seen in the BCCI annual awards, Naman, with the rest of the Indian team members in Hyderabad. While he is unlikely to get his Test cap on Thursday, as Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are set to bat in the middle-order, the selectors decided to call up Patidar due to the absence of any other specialist batter in the reserves. Patidar was reportedly a unanimous choice of the selection committee and team management, indicating a preference not to revert to the Pujara-Rahane route. Sarfaraz, the most prolific red-ball batter in the Indian domestic circuit for the last three seasons, will have to wait for his maiden call-up.
Patidar became the frontrunner after smashing two centuries in his last three innings for India A against the England Lions. His 151-run knock in the last four-day game, where most India A batters failed in the first innings, played a crucial role in the decision. Patidar, 30, had to overcome an Achilles heel injury that required surgery, keeping him away from the game for nearly eight months. He made his India cap debut in the third ODI against South Africa at Paarl, scoring a breezy 22 while opening the batting.
No stranger to batting in the middle order, Patidar is known for his temperament and ability to score quickly against pace and spin alike. He had a decent Vijay Hazare Trophy last year, scoring 315 runs in six innings with an average of 52.50 and a strike rate of 104.30. His first-class average of 46 in 55 matches attests to his red-ball prowess.
Initially part of India A’s squad for the second and third four-day matches against England Lions, Patidar’s inclusion in the Test team followed Kohli’s unavailability, with Rinku Singh named in the India A squad for the second match.
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