KL Rahul's spot for Pune Test sealed over Sarfaraz Khan
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Former India player Parthiv Patel has made a shocking prediction for the second Test match between India and New Zealand at Pune. Parthiv reckons that India will play KL Rahul over Sarfaraz Khan for the match despite the latter scoring a magnificent hundred at Bengaluru.
Sarfaraz Khan had a fantastic Test match at Bengaluru as he scored his maiden international hundred. It was a much-awaited innings from Sarfaraz, who has piled on loads of runs in domestic cricket before being selected for India. He scored 150 off 195 balls during the second innings.
On the other hand, KL Rahul had a disappointing Test on his home ground. He registered scores of 0 and 12 across both innings while batting at No. 6. With Shubman Gill likely to be back for the next Test, one out of these batters will have to make way.
Parthiv Patel picks KL Rahul over Sarfaraz Khan for Pune Test
While speaking on Colors Cineplex after the game, Parthiv Patel reckoned that the Indian team management will continue to put their weight behind KL Rahul and is likely to select him for the second Test over Sarfaraz Khan.
"The question will be whether Sarfaraz Khan will get to play or they will go with KL Rahul. I will still play KL Rahul, the way the team has shown faith in him. I am thinking like that based on how the team's thinking has been," Parthiv claimed.
Both Sarfaraz Khan and KL Rahul were in India's squad for the Test series against Bangladesh but the team management decided to go with Rahul given that he was dropped due to injury.
Rahul played an excellent innings of 68 off 43 balls and helped India win a rain-hit game. However, Sarafaraz's recent knock has changed things as the youngster has a big chance to be in India's first-choice Playing XI now.
Parthiv Patel feels KL Rahul will be under pressure
Parthiv Patel further noted that India could have played KL Rahul at No. 3 in the absence of Shubman Gill. He feels that Rahul will be under immense pressure now since Sarfaraz has already shown his potential with the bat.
"If you wanted, you could have made Rahul bat at No. 3 in this Test match but you said that you didn't want to change his position. Nothing to take from Sarfaraz's knock, he made 150 runs for sure, but it's the same situation as Mohammed Siraj or Akash Deep. There will definitely be pressure on KL Rahul but I would still play him," he added.
Big decision for team management
The team management has a big decision to make ahead of the next Test. It remains to be seen whom the team management prefers for the Pune Test, which is also a do-or-die Test match for India.
The Indian team management has another big decision to make before the next match. Mohammed Siraj has not shown great form of late and was underwhelming in the last Test match as well.
Meanwhile, Akash Deep, who did not get a game in the last Test, has been in good form and could replace Siraj in the next match. New Zealand currently leads the Test series 1-0 with two more matches to go.
