Rajat Patidar Included: Duleep Trophy Performers Who Could Be India's No.3 In Tests

Rajat Patidar in action [Source: @bet_helll/x.com]

The focus of Indian cricket is the Asia Cup 2025 at the moment, but once the tournament gets over, the caravan moves towards the Indian home summer, as the team will host the West Indies and South Africa in Test matches. For the home summer, India have almost all the bases covered, and the team will be confident after a stellar tour of England.

However, for Team India, the only issue lies in the number 3 spot. With Cheteshwar Pujara retired, the Indian team tried several players in that spot including Karun Nair, and Sai Sudharsan, but the duo failed to deliver the goods.

How Nair and Sudharsan performed at number 3

(Sudharsan, Nair at number 3)

• Both Nair and Sudharsan failed to deliver the goods in the England series and the stats tell the entire story.
• While Sudharsan averaged 23.33 and scored 140 runs at number 3, Nair had an average of 27.75 with 111 runs to his name.

With both the batters failing, India needs a new number 3, and there are several options from the ongoing Duleep Trophy to fill in the gap at 3.

1) Rajat Patidar

The RCB captain had an average IPL 2025 campaign, but he picked up pace in the ongoing Duleep Trophy and has been Central Zone’s best batter.

(Patidar in Duleep Trophy)

• 268 runs in 2 matches, with an average of 89.33 sums up Rajat Patidar's stellar campaign so far.
• He has looked astute and the RCB skipper has the experience of playing at number 3, and even for his domestic team, Patidar has the experience of batting at one down, and this could help him slot into the Indian Test side.

2) Ruturaj Gaikwad

Gaikwad has played just a solitary game, but the Maharashtra batter has already left a lasting impression with a stellar century against Central Zone. The talented batter scored a brilliant 184 runs and bailed his side out of a precarious situation on a tricky surface.

The batter started the Duleep Trophy with a fluent hundred, and he has been in fine touch in the last few games, as the CSK skipper also scored a terrific hundred in the Buchi Babu Tournament. Gaikwad has the experience of batting at number 3, and India could look at him for the home summer.

3) Narayan Jagadeesan

In current times, the South Zone batter, Narayan Jagadeesan, has been in exemplary form, and there have been rumours of him getting picked in the Test side in the absence of Rishabh Pant, who is nursing an injury.

For his domestic team, Jagadeesan generally bats at the opening slot, but he has prior experience of batting at number 3. In the ongoing Duleep Trophy, the right-handed batter smashed 197 against the North Zone and stamped his claim for a Test debut. In place of Pant, India could field Dhruv Jurel as the keeper, and Jagadeesan could slot in as a pure batter at 3.

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