Aoba Tanaka 
Cricket enthusiasts were met with disappointment as KL Rahul faced another setback, ruling him out of contention for the upcoming Rajkot Test against England due to a sore knee. To fill this void, the Indian team has called upon the talented Devdutt Padikkal, Rahul’s Karnataka teammate, as his replacement. This development comes as a double blow for India, already missing the services of Virat Kohli and opting not to include Shreyas Iyer for the remaining Tests.
Rahul, recovering from a quadricep injury, had been on the path to regaining full fitness, reaching 90%, according to a BCCI release. However, the decision was made for him to continue his recovery at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. This setback raises concerns for India, as they seek stability in the batting order.
In a twist of fate, Devdutt Padikkal, who has been in scintillating form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, gets a golden opportunity to make his Test debut. The 23-year-old left-handed batsman, known for his elegance and adaptability, is set to join the squad from Chennai on Tuesday.
Padikkal’s impressive Ranji season includes a remarkable 556 runs in six innings, boasting an average of 92.66, with three centuries to his name. His recent stellar performances against Tamil Nadu have further elevated expectations, making him a potential game-changer for India.
Expressing gratitude for his experience during the shadow tour to South Africa and training alongside Test regulars, Padikkal sees every opportunity as a chance to grow as a cricketer. His journey from an opener to a versatile top-order batsman adds depth to India’s batting options.
As the squad faces the dilemma of choosing between two debutants, Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan, the uncertainty surrounding Ravindra Jadeja’s availability adds an additional layer of complexity to India’s selection process. With the series level at 1-1, the Rajkot Test gains even more significance, and the anticipation surrounding Padikkal’s potential debut only adds to the excitement.
India’s squad for the third Test: Rohit Sharma (capt), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Devdutt Padikkal.
