KKR player added to India A squad, won't be Kohli's replacement for 1st two England Tests

India have strengthened the India A squad to play England Lions with the addition of Kolkata Knight Riders' star batter, also confirming that he won't play the first two England Tests as Virat Kohli's replacement.
 By Staff Writer Updated: Jan 23, 2024, 09:33 IST
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Virat Kohli unexpectedly pulling out of the first two England Tests for personal reasons has put India in a spot of bother ahead of the crucial ICC World Test Championship series against England at home. 

While Kohli would return for the remaining three Tests according to reports, India are searching for a replacement for the senior batter with a few options lining up from the India A squad currently playing the England Lions in red ball matches.

Sarfaraz Khan, who has made big runs in first-class cricket, averaging one of the highest in the history of the game, and Rajat Patidar, who shone with a brilliant 151 and another score in the nineties, are frontrunners for the spot, but there were also rumours of India handing Rinku Singh a call-up.

Five players who can replace Virat Kohli in the Test squad

Rinku Singh to miss out on Test call-up

While Rinku has been a star in T20 international cricket, his credentials in first-class cricket is as good, if not better. In 44 first-class games, Rinku averages 57.57, the 19th highest in the history of first-class cricket (for players who have batted 50 times).

Rinku wasn't a part of the squad announced for the second match of the India A vs England Lions series, but has now been added to the squad as an additional batter. Rinku wasn't a part of the first match and the practice match between India A and Lions, where Patidar in particular put up a strong impression.

But now that Rinku has been added to the A squad for the second match, it is more or less confirmed that Patidar or Sarfaraz would be Kohli's replacement in the Test squad. 

The second unofficial Test between India A and England Lions begin in Ahmedabad from January 24 and directly clashes with the first Test between India and England in Hyderabad. 

This would mean that Rinku won't be a part of the first two Tests of the series. 

India ‘A’ squad for the 2nd multi-day match: Abhimanyu Easwaran (Captain), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra, Washington Sundar, Sourabh Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Vidwath Kaverappa, Upendra Yadav, Akash Deep, Yash Dayal, Rinku Singh

 

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