IND vs BAN 2024 | KL Rahul Over Sarfaraz Khan In Playing XI? Aakash Chopra Explains Why

Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan made their Test debuts earlier this year (x.com)

India’s upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh will coincide with the return of several top-billed Indian stars back into the five-day mode. Apart from Virat Kohli, who opted himself out of India’s home series against England earlier this year due to personal reasons, the Bangladesh fixtures serve as a return platform for Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul following their injury layoffs.

Their respective comebacks also add a sense of dilemma within the Indian team management, as it finds itself torn between selecting the team’s first-choice returning superstars with the emerging talents that replaced them during Team India’s time of crisis.

For instance, young Sarfaraz Khan received his maiden Indian Test cap against England earlier this year after the injury-struck absence of prolific batter KL Rahul. Fellow debutants Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel also filled in for the likes of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant as the hosts sealed the five-match series by a 4-1 margin.

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According to former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra, the Indian team management will likely select KL Rahul over Sarfaraz Khan, even though the youngster ably stood up to the occasion against the visiting English attack in February this year.

Aakash Chopra explains why India will field KL Rahul

While speaking with CREX, former Test opener Aakash Chopra explained why the Indian team management will be inclined to pick comeback man KL Rahul over rising superstar Sarfaraz Khan. Chopra claimed that first-choice players are often preferred over their replacements, regardless of how well the replacement players have performed in the original’s absence.

The cricketer-turned-commentator also used the same analogy for the potential axing for Dhruv Jurel, who will likely be replaced by senior wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant in the Indian playing XI against Bangladesh.

Sarfaraz Khan made his Test debut against England earlier this year and has so far accrued three half-centuries in five innings. Dhruv Jurel also pounded 190 runs from four innings at a splendid average of 63.33 across his three Test appearances.

India’s series-opening first Test against Bangladesh will be played at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai between September 19 and September 23.

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