Karnataka batsman Devdutt Padikkal is poised for his Test debut against England in the fourth Test in Ranchi on March 7, as reported by the Hindustan Times.
The inform left-handed batter is expected to take the place of Rajat Patidar, who has faced challenges in his initial three Tests, posting scores of 32, 9, 5, 0, 17, and 0. Patidar stepped in for KL Rahul, who suffered a quadriceps injury in the series opener in Hyderabad.
Rahul has allegedly journeyed to the United Kingdom for consultations and treatment regarding his injury, and he is almost certain to miss the fifth Test as well. In the meantime, Padikkal was included in the squad as a replacement for the Lucknow Super Giants captain during the third Test.
“Padikkal will make his debut in Dharamsala,” Hindustan Times quoted a BCCI source as saying. “Rahul is unlikely to be available and the team management wants to have a look at Padikkal as it is the last international fixture before the IPL.”
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar made the decision in consultation with captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid, and other staff. Padikkal, aged 23, will be the fifth debutant in the series, following Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Akash Deep.
Patidar appears to be at a disadvantage as both Sarfaraz and Jurel have demonstrated good form in the last two Tests, appearing more at ease with the transition from domestic cricket.
What does Devdutt Padikkal’s performance record in first-class cricket indicate?
The ex-Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals player, now with the Super Giants, has shown outstanding performance in domestic red-ball cricket in recent months.
In four Ranji Trophy matches this season, he has accumulated three centuries, totaling 556 runs at an impressive average of 92.66. His preceding scores before the India call-up include: 193, 42, 31, 103, 105, 65, 21, 151, and 36. Overall, he has amassed 2227 runs from 31 first-class games at an average of 44.54.
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