Team India has started considering their lineup for the second Test matchup with England, which is scheduled to start in Visakhapatnam on February 2. Notably, things worsened for the Rohit Sharma-led team following the 28-run defeat in the first game of the series in Hyderabad, when all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and batter KL Rahul were ruled out of the second game with injuries.
Consequently, Saurabh Kumar, Washington Sundar, and Sarfaraz Khan were named as the men’s selection committee’s replacements. The management of the team would probably substitute a spinner for Jadeja for the second game, with Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar vying for Rahul’s spot.
Given that Sarfaraz Khan and Patidar are both elite performers, Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour recently discussed his opinions on who should start in the playing XI. He stated that it would be a difficult decision.
“It will be a difficult decision. Naturally, their superlative skill set is what makes them valuable members of the team. In the past few years, we have observed their impressive performance in domestic cricket,” Vikram Rathour was
Rathour added that both players will be very valuable to the team and that Rohit Sharma, the captain, and head coach Rahul Dravid will have to choose between the two.
So, I believe they can truly benefit the squad greatly on these kinds of surfaces. Of course, it will be difficult to choose just one. However, I believe Rahul and Rohit Sharma will need to decide on that in the next day or so, Rathore continued.
Patidar, who missed the first two Test matches due to personal reasons, was notable for replacing Virat Kohli in the team. Prior to the series, the Madhya Pradesh batsman recorded two centuries against the England Lions. In addition, he has 4000 first-class runs at a 45.97 average, 12 hundreds, and 22 fifties to his credit.
Sarfaraz Khan’s first-class cricket average is 69.85.
On the other side, Sarfaraz amassed 3912 runs at a first-class average of 69.85 and hit an amazing 161 off 166 against the England Lions. With 14 hundreds and 11 fifties to his credit, the Mumbai hitter has been raking up runs in the Ranji Trophy since 2019.
As a result, the management of the team will have a difficult time choosing between the two as India looks to tie the series after falling behind 0-1.
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