India will be playing their third Test against England from 15th of February and there are talks of Virat Kohli returning. However, the most obvious question that comes with it is who will face the drop when the former Indian captain returns? Well, the most obvious choice becomes Rajat Patidar but maybe and just maybe, he is not the right man to drop at the moment.
Playing your first Test and showing resilience in the first innings, Patidar showed the English bowlers that he is an excellent player of spin and negotiated with fast bowling pretty efficiently. Had it not been for an unfortunate dismissal, Patidar may have gone onto score a half-century too. As the discussions get hotter and hotter, here are two reasons why Rajat Patidar should not be dropped at any cost.
#1 A man of solid technique
When you play in India with spin on offer, the concept of slogging goes out of the window. It all boils down to how technical you are. How you can sweep the ball and most importantly how you are capable of negotiating with whatsoever turn the surface has to offer. Also add to that the experienced campaigners getting the old ball to exhibit reverse swing and life becomes literally challenging. Only a solid technique is what saves a batter and Rajat is a man of gold when it comes to technique. Validated by Virat himself, his sense of timing is impeccable and his connections on the ground are absolutely bedazzling. This is what sets him apart from the others.
Pragyan Ojha – “Shreyas Iyer was left slightly behind. When you talk about great batters like KL Rahul and Virat Kohli have also scored runs, when they return, they will automatically be part of the playing XI. So probably Shreyas and Rajat Patidar will have to make way because… pic.twitter.com/YeEPKIJUxo
— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) February 7, 2024
#2 A man of almost unshakeable temperament
Rajat Patidar has shown how to stay calm under the pump and the fans of RCB has seen it up close. The strokeplay, the hard-hitting and most importantly the ability to play under pressure makes him an irresistible choice. Test cricket being a litmus test of your body and your mind makes you grill yourself to the very end and this is where fighters are born. Patidar’s ice-cool temperament makes him an immediate choice for the Test team.
