IND vs ENG 2024: “It’s your duty to play Sarfaraz Khan in Rajkot” – Aakash Chopra wants right-hander to play ahead of Devdutt Padikkal

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra feels it will be appropriate to give a maiden Test cap to Sarfaraz Khan in the third Test match against England at Rajkot. Chopra believes Sarfaraz Khan should play ahead of Devdutt Padikkal, who replaced injured KL Rahul in the squad.

Meanwhile, Khan has amassed 3912 runs at an average of 69.85 in 45 first-class games and recently scored a fine knock of 161 runs off just 160 balls against England Lions in the second unofficial Test for India A.

On the other hand, Devdutt Padikkal has scored 2227 runs in 31 first-class matches at an average of 44.54. The left-hander has been in terrific form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, scoring 556 runs in four matches at an impressive average of 92.66 and thus he was rewarded by the selectors for his consistent performances.

Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “Either Sarfaraz or Devdutt Padikkal will make his debut. The simple answer to the question is that it should be Sarfaraz because he has been scoring runs for a very long time. It’s not that Devdutt Padikkal hasn’t been scoring runs for a long time.”

“If you see just this season in isolation, no one is in better form than Devdutt Padikkal. This is the right time to give somebody an opportunity but Sarfaraz had come into the team before him, just like Rajat Patidar had come earlier. You played Patidar then. So it’s your duty to play Sarfaraz in this match,” the former India opener added.

Meanwhile, in the absence of KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, India has an inexperienced batting line-up. Chopra noted that Shubman Gill is the second-most experienced batter in India’s line-up after Rohit Sharma.

“India might not have had such an inexperienced batting in the last 10 years. If I talk about the batters, your captain Rohit Sharma has played the most number of Test matches, close to 56 Test matches. Your second-most experienced batter is Shubman Gill.”

“He has played 22 or 23 Test matches and then Yashasvi (Jaiswal), who has played six. After that, Rajat Patidar, who has played one. Then you will get either Sarfaraz or Padikkal to make his debut. If you put KS Bharat in the batting order, he too hasn’t played many matches,” Chopra stated.

The third Test match between India and England will be played at Rajkot from 15th February onwards.