BCCI to release Rajat Patidar from India’s Ranji Trophy squad if KL Rahul becomes fit. Rajat Patidar has struggled in his Test debut, making only 63 runs in six innings.
With the fifth Test due to begin on March 7 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, India hopes to end the five-match Test series against England with a resounding 4-1 victory. The Rohit Sharma-led side grabbed an unbeatable 3-1 lead in Ranchi, defeating them by five wickets and winning the series.
The Indian squad is concerned about an injury ahead of the fifth Test, as top batsman KL Rahul has yet to regain match fitness. According to rumors, Rahul flew to London to see a doctor about his quadriceps issue. If he does not recover in time, the team management will have to stick with the struggling Rajat Patidar in the middle order.
Notably, the 30-year-old has not had a fantastic start to his career, scoring only 63 runs in six innings in the series thus far. According to the Times of India, the team administration does not want Patidar to continue and wants him to play in Madhya Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy semi-final versus Vidarbha, which begins on March 2.
If Rahul heals in time, the management plans to include him in the XI. Patidar may be release to compete in the Ranji Trophy as well. If Rahul does not recover in time, Patidar will remain in the squad. Ideally, the team management would like to see Patidar return to play in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals and regain some lost form.
“However, that depends on Rahul’s availability. If Rahul is unavailable, Patidar may be ask to stay with the team. Even if Devdutt Padikkal makes his debut in the last Test, the team management requires an additional batter to serve as a concussion substitute, according to a source published in The Times of India.
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Rahul continues to feel discomfort despite green signal by NCA
Meanwhile, Rahul plagued by stiffness and tightness in his quadriceps. Despite being pronounce match fit by the NCA medical staff. As a result, it has been decide to transfer him to London for a complete study of the situation.
“The medical team thought Rahul was fine for the remaining three tests. However, he complained of discomfort. He is slightly apprehensive about it. He has faced a rigorous workload in keeping wickets in the World Cup and the Test series in South Africa. Multiple scans have been performed on his quadriceps. While there is nothing particularly alarming, some inflammation has been observed. The reports were forwarded to the doctor who treated him in England. Eventually, the doctor urged him to fly to England so that he could personally examine Rahul,” the source said.
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