The India national cricket team are in for a shake-up for the third Test against England in Rajkot, so says a report by the Indian Express. As per the report, Sarfaraz Khan is in line to make his much-awaited Test debut for India, filling in for KL Rahul, who will miss out on the match due to an injury. (More Cricket News)
“Sarfaraz will be making his debut. As KL has been ruled out for this Test, Sarfaraz will be getting his first game,” a source confirmed to Indian Express.
26-year-old Sarfaraz has regularly impressed in the domestic circuit, where he has previously competed under the umbrellas of Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai. Despite that, he only received his first call-up to the Indian senior team earlier this year, largely due to team having to navigate a minor injury crisis on their hands.
Among those on the sidelines is KL Rahul. The wicket-keeper batter missed out on the second Test win in Visakhapatnam and will now miss out on the follow-up game in Rajkot, with sources confirming to PTI that he is yet to report to the training base.
"KL Rahul hasn't yet reported in Rajkot. Ravindra Jadeja, the local boy has linked up with the team. It was always a case of subject to fitness and BCCI medical team is still not confident that he is match fit," a senior BCCI source, who remained anonymous, told PTI.
"If the BCCI's medical team knew in first place that Rahul's quad injury is as serious as it looks, why in the first place was he kept in provisional squad. And why is the player sending wrong signals by posting videos of his batting on Instagram stories," another BCCI source asked rhetorically of PTI.
India will also be without Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli for the third Test, with the former injured while the latter away on personal leave. Jasprit Bumrah's status for the match, too, has been the subject of much discussion in the recent past, with reports claiming that he might be rested for the game - although, fresh rumours suggest that that plan has been pushed back by one match.
Lastly, Dhruv Jurel is likely to make his debut for India in Rajkot, replacing KS Bharat in the team.
