Rajat Patidar has had a challenging beginning to his Test career, managing only 63 runs across six innings. Scheduled to kick off on March 07 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, India aims to conclude the five-match Test series against England with a dominant 4-1 scoreline.
Led by Rohit Sharma, the team secured an unassailable 3-1 lead, winning in Ranchi by five wickets. Concerns arise ahead of the fifth Test as star batter KL Rahul hasn’t regained match fitness, reportedly flying to London to consult a specialist for his quadriceps injury.
If he doesn’t recover in time, the team might have to persist with the struggling Rajat Patidar in the middle-order. Significantly, the 30-year-old has struggled at the beginning of his career, accumulating only 63 runs across six innings in the ongoing series.
According to a Times of India report, the team management is reluctant to persist with Patidar and intends for him to participate in the Ranji Trophy semi-final for Madhya Pradesh against Vidarbha, starting from March 2.
The management plans to incorporate Rahul into the playing eleven if he recuperates on schedule and is contemplating releasing Patidar to participate in the Ranji Trophy.
Conversely, if Rahul’s recovery is delayed, Patidar will remain in the squad. Ideally, the team management wishes for Patidar to return for the Ranji Trophy semi-final, providing him an opportunity to regain form.
“But that depends on Rahul’s availability. If Rahul is unavailable, then Patidar may be asked to stay back with the team. Even if Devdutt Padikkal makes his debut in the last Test, the team management needs an extra batter in the team as a concussion substitute,” a source was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
Despite receiving approval from the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Rahul continues to experience discomfort
Despite being declared fit for the match by the NCA medical team, Rahul has been consistently bothered by discomfort and pain in his quadriceps. Consequently, a choice has been made to send him to London for a comprehensive examination of the problem.
“The medical team thought Rahul was good to go for the last three Tests. But he complained of discomfort. He is a bit concerned about it. He has endured a heavy workload while keeping wickets in the World Cup and the Test series in South Africa. Multiple scans have been done on his quads.”
“While there is nothing very concerning, some inflammation has been noted. The reports were sent to the doctor who treated him in England. Eventually, the doctor asked him to travel to England so that he could personally check what’s wrong with Rahul,” the source added.
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