Aakash Chopra expects out-of-form batter to play at Dharamsala
The final Test of the India-England series will be played at Dharamsala from March 7.
The ongoing India-England series has seen a no. of debutants make their mark. The newbies have taken to Test cricket as fish to water. Be it Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, or Akash Deep, all have been impressive and look good for a longer run.
For England too, the debutants have proved their mettle. Their spinners, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, who have very less experience in first-class cricket, have shown their skills and troubled Indian batters.
But there is one player who is yet to make his mark in Test cricket. The player is Rajat Patidar. Patidar came into the series on the back of strong performances in first-class cricket. He has been impressive while playing for Madhya Pradesh over the last few years and was in good form against England Lions recently.
Aakash Chopra backs Rajat Patidar to play at Dharamsala
Former India opener Aakash Chopra is expecting Rajat Patidar to be given another go in the final Test. He argued that Patidar could play at Dharamsala since India have already won the series.
The last thing you want as a cricketer is that your bad form coincides with team’s poor returns. The moment that happens…you’re the first one to take the fall. Rajat’s not taken to Test cricket as fish to water but since India’s won the series already, he might get one final…
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 1, 2024
"The last thing you want as a cricketer is that your bad form coincides with team’s poor returns. The moment that happens…, you’re the first one to take the fall. Rajat’s not taken to Test cricket as fish to water but since India’s won the series already, he might get one final game at Dharamsala," Chopra wrote on X.
Earlier, former South African batter AB de Villiers also believed that Rajat Patidar could be given a long run by the Indian team management. He believed that India are playing great cricket at the moment and producing the results, which can help Patidar get a long run.
Rajat Patidar is having a torrid time in his debut series for India. He has scored just 63 runs in three Tests at an average of 10.5. While every player in the India’s playing XI has played a role during the series, Patidar is yet to make a significant contribution.
Read: AB de Villiers feels India might give out-of-form batter a longer run in Tests
Due to his poor form, he is expected to be dropped from the next Test in favour of young left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal. India are already 3-1 up in the series and will be looking to gain crucial WTC points at Dharamsala.