3 players KL Rahul can replace in India's 11 if he comes back for 3rd Test vs England
India will be hoping that senior batter KL Rahul makes a comeback to the Indian squad for the third Test against England, which begins at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on February 15. The BCCI is expected to announce the Indian squad for the last three Tests of the series against England on Thursday, February 8.
The right-hander missed the second Test in Visakhapatnam due to a quad strain. Before that, he featured in the opening Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad and impressed with a fluent 86 in the first innings. The 31-year-old looked good in the second innings as well before being trapped lbw by Joe Root for 22.
With Virat Kohli unlikely to return for the third Test as well, India will need the experience of Rahul in the middle-order. In case he is declared fit, the batter is likely to walk back into the playing XI. Below are three players he could replace if declared fit for the Rajkot Test.
#1 Rajat Patidar
Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar is most likely to make way for Rahul in the event of the latter being picked for the Rajkot Test. The experienced domestic cricketer, who was handed his Test debut in Visakhapatnam, did not do a bad job with the willow. Patidar scored a handy 32 off 72 in the first innings, adding 70 for the fourth wicket with double-centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Patidar was dismissed in unlucky fashion, bowled by Rehan Ahmed as a delivery from the leg-spinner bounced a little extra and tricked back onto the stumps. In the second innings, he managed only nine. He was dismissed by Rehan again, caught behind as he bottom-edged one that kept low - Ben Faokes pulling off a brilliant catch.
One Test is too little to judge any player. And, as such, axing Patidar after just one Test match would be unfair. Then again, it’s a fact that the MP batter would not have got his opportunity if Rahul was fit for the second Test. As such, Rahul for Patidar seems like a straightforward swap in case the former is fit for the Rajkot challenge.
#2 Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer is another player whose place might come under the scanner if Rahul recovers in time for the third Test in Rajkot. The middle-order batter has been extremely disappointing in the two Test matches so far. He registered scores of 35 & 13 in Hyderabad and 27 & 29 in Visakhapatnam.
As the numbers clearly indicate, the 29-year-old has got starts in almost every innings, but has failed to convert those into substantial scores. What has also been worrying is the fact that Shreyas has not looked his fluent self out in the middle. He is most definitely struggling with his batting rhythm.
If you look at his Test form, that has not been great either. He has not scored a half-century in 12 innings since the Mirpur Test against Bangladesh in December 2022. Shreyas had a highest score of 26 from four innings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in February-March 2023.
The right-hander looked completely at sea in South Africa, managing a highest score of 31 from four innings. He has carried his poor batting form into the ongoing home Test series against England as well. It would be interesting to see whether India retain Patidar and drop Shreyas in case Rahul is available for the Rajkot Test.
#3 Mukesh Kumar
This is a bit of a radical choice, but one the Team India management could ponder upon. They could drop pacer Mukesh Kumar from the playing XI and go into the Rajkot Test with one fast bowler (Jasprit Bumrah/ Mohammed Siraj) and three spinners.
Kumar had a very poor Test in Visakhapatnam, managing only one wicket, and was wayward as well. To be fair, though, it would be a surprise if Team India tread this path of sacrificing a bowler for a batter as it is fraught with risk.
Keeper-batter Srikar Bharat has also been short of runs. However, India are unlikely to ask Rahul to keep wickets. Remember, both skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid had clarified ahead of the series that they are not considering Rahul as a Test keeper.
If at all India think of dropping Bharat, he might be replaced by uncapped Dhruv Jurel. If fit, Rahul is most likely to come in for one of the middle-order batters.