India have a couple of tight selection calls to make for their upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh. Here is a look at who could make up the middle-order.
For home Test matches, India's preferred set of eleven players has followed a more or less set template for a few years now. Predicting the players who are likely to take the field for the first Test against Bangladesh, therefore, is a straightforward task.
Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal will continue as the openers, with Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli likely to follow at No.3 and No.4. If fit, Rishabh Pant should return as India's wicketkeeper. Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin will be in as the all-rounders with three bowlers (three pacers, or two pacers and a spinner).
One spot in the XI is open, for a middle-order batter. At present, the two most likely candidates for the role are KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan, both of whom are currently in action in the Duleep Trophy. But who should India pick?
How much will Duleep Trophy performances factor into India selection?
Rahul was named in the Test squad for the visit of England earlier this year, and played the first match before picking up a quadriceps injury and subsequently missing the rest of the series. He was replaced in the XI by Rajat Patidar, who endured a difficult run of low scores. Sarfaraz came in for his debut in the third Test after Shreyas Iyer was injured.
The Bangladesh series is the first red-ball action for India since the England series, due to the T20 World Cup taking place this summer. There has been no domestic cricket for these players either, meaning Duleep Trophy performances could carry weight when it comes to squad selection.
Since the players selected for the Indian team will leave their Duleep Trophy squads after the first match, one match is all that the hopefuls will get to showcase their current form.
KL Rahul vs Sarfaraz Khan: How has their first-class form been?
KL Rahul played a sedate knock in his one innings so far in the Duleep Trophy, making his way to 37 off 111 balls before trying to paddle Washington Sundar and ending up bowled. Sarfaraz departed cheaply the first time he came to the crease, scoring just nine. But second time around, he belted a counter-attacking 46 off just 36 balls to help swell his side's lead.
With neither player really setting the stage alight yet, their previous Test performances are likely to come into the reckoning. Sarfaraz dazzled with 62 & 68* on debut in Rajkot but scored just 14 & 0 next time around. He did manage 56 in the final Test against England in Dharamsala. It is also worth remembering the Mumbai batter still boasts an average of 68.5 across 48 first-class matches in his career.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled 18 dots in his four overs in a UPT20 game today 😲
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) September 6, 2024
His figures after the spell read 4-1-4-0!
➡️ https://t.co/KUNlUEBRQQ pic.twitter.com/ZtNX1L5U7v
In the first Test against England, before he got injured, Rahul put up a superb showing with the bat to score a solid 86. He was dismissed for 22 in the second innings. What is in his favour when it comes down to this choice is that Rahul is the incumbent, and a fairly versatile batter. He has played at the top and in the middle-order for India in Test cricket, and offers them a wicketkeeping option as well.
His keeping will almost certainly not be a consideration against Bangladesh, with Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel the frontline options. Rahul's white-ball form has also been iffy, with a couple of low scores against Sri Lanka following a good-but-not-great IPL season. India have always liked to back Rahul in Test cricket, though.
In last year's tour of South Africa, he was picked ahead of Ishan Kishan for his batting, and handed the wicketkeeping gloves despite not being a specialist. He also scored an excellent century in Centurion.
Rahul slight favourite to start
The other conceivable option for this spot is Shreyas Iyer, who has a Duleep Trophy fifty to his name already. Following the loss of his central contract earlier this year, it is unclear where he stands as far as the national selectors are concerned.
For now, the signs point to Rahul being given the nod in the middle-order – as the incumbent, and with a couple of solid performances behind him. But given Sarfaraz's excellent record, good start at Test level, and the recency of his Duleep Trophy knock, he could run him close. Rahul may well start the series, but if he does poorly in the first game, it is not improbable for Sarfaraz to take his spot in the second.
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