AB de Villiers believes that the Indian team management might stick with Rajat Patidar for the upcoming fifth and final Test match against England.
Rajat Patidar’s debut Test cap in the ongoing five-match series against England in Visakhapatnam was a moment of pride, earned through impressive performances in domestic cricket and for India A. However, the initial thrill was short-lived as the 30-year-old struggled to leave a mark in Test cricket. With just 63 runs in three matches at an average of 10.5, there are speculations about him being dropped from the final Test in Dharamshala.
Despite this, former cricketer AB de Villiers expressed confidence in Patidar’s potential for improvement. De Villiers highlighted the strong team culture within the Indian squad, emphasizing that it could uplift Patidar’s spirits despite his challenging start in Test cricket. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, de Villiers acknowledged Patidar’s less-than-stellar series but maintained optimism about the supportive team environment benefiting the cricketer.
“Rajat Patidar not having the series of a lifetime or the one to remember. But the good thing about this Indian team and the culture is that you will survive in that side because of the great cricket they are playing and the results coming their way,” De Villiers said.
“If his attitude is catchy and if he is a likable character in the dressing room, Rohit and the selection panel will have the ability to say, ‘Hold on, we do believe this guy has a future and we see him as a part of the team moving forward. Even though he hasn’t been scoring runs, let’s give him a longer run,’” he added.
Unfortunately, star batsman KL Rahul won’t be participating in the fifth Test as the BCCI has decided to send him to the United Kingdom for a more thorough examination of his injury. If the team management opts to exclude Patidar from the playing XI, there’s a possibility that we might witness the debut of the left-handed Devdutt Padikkal in Dharamshala.
India’s updated squad for the 5th Test:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep.
