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Sarfaraz Or Rajat Patidar? Ex-Test Specialist Calls Perfect Replacement For KL Rahul

image-ls04l6nrKL Rahul will miss IND vs ENG 2nd Test (AP)

KL Rahul's injury forced absence for the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam is set to unlock doors for one of Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar to play his maiden Test match for India. 

With the Karnataka middle-order batter out after complaining of quadriceps pain, India will be handing out a Test cap to one of the two prolific performers at the first-class game as the great Virat Kohli also remains absent from national duties due to "personal reasons". 

Aware of the selection tussle ahead, former India batter Aakash Chopra named his preference among the two right-handers, who have forced the selectors to take notice and reward their excellent run for Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai, respectively. 


Chopra Backs Sarfaraz Above Patidar 

While Patidar was picked first in the squad after Kohli withdrew from the initial two Tests, Chopra reckons Sarfaraz should get the nod due to his ability to dominate spin and play in "unorthodox fashion" to counter the English tweakers on turning pitches, potentially replicating tourists' sweeping tactics. 

"Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar are available with this team. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Virat Kohli are still not there. They will have to play either Rajat Patidar or Sarfaraz. You can go towards Sarfaraz because he can play in an unorthodox fashion and is a very good player of spin," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. 

Sarfaraz's long wait for maiden call-up finally ended on Monday (January 29) evening when he became one of the three replacement choices made by the selectors for the imminent absence of Rahul and also premier allrounder Ravindra Jadeja. 

The youngster has done everything asked of him at the first-class level so far. After enjoying a tremendous set of three seasons for Mumbai, he went on to dominate the runs-chart for India A versus England Lions, producing a knock of 160 in the recent outing after nearly recording a ton in an earlier game. 

Aged 26, the explosive right-hander averages a jaw-dropping 69.85 with 14 centuries and 11 half-centuries from 45 first-class matches in his career.