India’s interim captain KL Rahul and head coach Rahul Dravid face some criticism from RCB fans for not including Rajat Patidar in India’s playing XI in the first ODI against South Africa.
After the 1-1 tied T20I series, India and South Africa kicked off a 3-ODI series on Sunday at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
Continuing the theme from the T20I series, this is a second-string XI that India are playing because many of the first-choice players who played in the World Cup 2023 are preparing for the 2-Test series that will follow the ODI series.
With the first-choice players not there, this series gives an opportunity for Dravid to try some fringe and uncapped players. India handed an ODI debut to young left-hand batter Sai Sudharsan, while Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, and Sanju Samson also got a place in the side for the first ODI.
RCB fans were not happy with KL Rahul and Rahul Dravid not including Rajat Patidar in today’s playing XI. This is the maiden ODI squad call-up for RCB’s Rajat Patidar, who plays domestic cricket for Madhya Pradesh.
Rajat Patidar has impressive List-A numbers: he has notched up 3 centuries and 12 fifties in 56 List-A matches. He was in good touch during the Vijay Hazare Trophy: Patidar was Madhya Pradesh’s leading run-scorer in the VJT, averaging 52 in 6 innings with 4 half-centuries!
RCB fans react to the exclusion of Rajat Patidar from India’s playing XI vs South Africa:
Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat first.
Teams:
South Africa (Playing XI): Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, Tabraiz Shamsi
India (Playing XI): KL Rahul(w/c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar
