The Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee ended all speculations about Virat Kohli’s replacement by including Rajat Patidar in the Indian squad for the first two Tests against England. Kohli will not play in the two matches to be held in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam due to personal reasons. The BCCI, in an official statement, requested to respect Kohli’s privacy and mentioned the name of a replacement soon. The selection was between experienced Cheteshwar Pujara, young Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan and Rinku Singh. But on Tuesday night it was confirmed that Patidar had won the race.
Patidar was reportedly the unanimous choice of the selection committee and team management, clearly indicating that they do not want to go back to the Pujara-Rahane route. It also means that Sarfaraz, the most prolific red-ball batsman in the Indian domestic circuit in the last three seasons, will have to wait for his first call-up.
Patidar has always been at the forefront after scoring two centuries in his last three innings for India A against England Lions. His innings of 151 is considered to be the decisive factor in the last four-day game, where most of the India A batsmen, including captain Abhimanyu Eswaran, failed in the first innings.
Patidar has been in the news for a long time. Had it not been for an Achilles heel injury that required surgery, which sidelined him from the game for almost eight months, he would have made his debut much sooner. The 30-year-old finally got his Indian cap when he was selected for the third ODI against South Africa in Paarl. He scored 22 runs while opening the match.
Batting in the middle order is nothing new, with Patidar known for his flair and ability to score runs quickly against pace and spin. He had a good performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last year, scoring 315 runs in six innings at an average of 52.50 and an attractive strike rate of 104.30. His first-class average of 46 in 55 matches is testament to his red-ball ability.
Patidar was initially part of the India A squad for the second and third four-day matches against the England Lions, but following Kohli’s unavailability, the selection committee named Rinku Singh in the India A squad for the second match, thereby including Patidar. The way to do it became clear.
