Devdutt Padikkal Test Debut -The team management remains committed to supporting Patidar, expressing confidence in his talent and believing that success is imminent. Given India’s secured series victory, the preference is to provide Patidar with another opportunity rather than awarding a Test debut to Devdutt Padikkal, the Karnataka batter.
Rajat Patidar is among the four players who made their Test debuts in the ongoing five-match Test series against England. The remaining debutants include Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Akash Deep.
While the other three players showcased impressive performances in their inaugural Test matches, Rajat Patidar has experienced a lackluster run so far. Sarfaraz marked his debut with half-centuries in both innings, Jurel displayed solid contributions with scores of 46, 90, and an unbeaten 39, and Akash Deep made a significant impact by dismantling England’s top order in the Ranchi Test.
Rajat Patidar, the right-handed batsman, has encountered challenges in finding success thus far. Stepping in for KL Rahul in the second Test due to Rahul’s quadricep strain, Patidar posted scores of 32 and 9 on his debut in Vishakhapatnam.
In the subsequent Rajkot Test, he faced dismissals with scores of 5 and a duck. Despite expectations of being excluded from the playing eleven for the fourth Test, the team management opted to retain him. Unfortunately, Patidar couldn’t validate the team management’s trust, being dismissed for 17 and 0.
Despite facing six consecutive failures in three Tests, there is a widespread anticipation that Rajat Patidar might not retain his spot in the playing eleven for the upcoming fifth and final Test between India and England in Dharamsala. However, according to a report from the Indian Express, it suggests that the struggling batsman is likely to receive another opportunity to prove his worth in international cricket.
The report indicates that the team management is still keen on supporting Patidar, believing in his talent, and feels that it’s just a matter of time before he finds success. With India already having secured the series victory, the decision to give Patidar another chance is favored over granting a Test debut to Devdutt Padikkal, the Karnataka batter.
“The team wants Patidar to get one more chance as they feel Patidar has talent and it’s a matter of time before he gets runs. As India has already won the series, the team wants to try him out one more time instead of giving a debut to Devdutt Padikkal,” a source informed the news outlet.
In the backdrop of India’s decisive 3-1 lead after a five-wicket victory in the fourth Test, the fifth Test is scheduled to be played on March 7.
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