India batter Rajat Patidar is thrilled after earning his first Test call-up last month. He stepped in for Virat Kohli, who withdrew from the squad due to personal reasons. Though he didn’t play in the first Test, discussions about his inclusion in the second Test in Vizag are growing. Ahead of the match, Patidar shared insights into his journey in a chat with the BCCI.
“Getting my first Test call up soon after my recovery has to be my happiest moment. It was my dream to represent my country in Test cricket. It felt very good to get that call. I was playing India A matches and felt very good on getting that call,” Patidar said in a video uploaded by BCCI.
Rajat Patidar Expressed Admiration For Virat Kohli
Patidar expressed his delight in watching Virat Kohli’s batting, emphasizing his fascination with Kohli’s precise footwork and body movements. It’s worth noting that the 35-year-old cricketing icon is also a teammate of Patidar in the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The camaraderie and shared experience within the RCB team likely contribute to Patidar’s appreciation for Kohli’s skills on the cricket field. He said:
“I always observe his batting from the back of the nets. Especially his footwork and body movement while batting. I enjoy his batting. I want to add on those skills. It is not easy but I am relentlessly after it,”
Bouncing back after injury 👏
Emotions on maiden Test call-up ✨
Learnings from Captain @ImRo45 & @imVkohli 🙌In conversation with @rrjjt_01 ahead of the 2nd #INDvENG Test 👌👌#TeamIndia | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/KU4FRyUuW2
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 1, 2024
Rajat Patidar, with one ODI appearance against South Africa in December, showcased his batting prowess, scoring 22 runs in 16 balls. In the ongoing unofficial Test series against the England Lions, he has been in excellent form, recording scores of 111 and 151 in the first two games.
A standout performer in domestic cricket, Patidar has amassed 4,000 runs in 55 first-class matches for Madhya Pradesh, with an impressive average of 45.97, including 12 centuries. His significant contributions played a crucial role in MP’s historic Ranji Trophy title win in 2021-22, scoring 658 runs at an average of 53.15.
India’s updated Squad for 2nd Test vs England: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, Sourabh Kumar.
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