On Monday (Jan 22), Virat Kohli withdrew from the first two Tests between India and England, which gets underway on Jan 25 (Thursday). The former Indian captain opted out due to personal reasons and will supposedly be back in the Indian squad for the final three games. Now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named Rajat Patidar, Kohli’s IPL teammate, as the star batter’s replacement.

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Patidar, who plays for Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has been in sublime form of late. He scored 151 in the unofficial Test against England Lions, in Ahmedabad, last week and also ended with an impressive 111 in the two-day warm-up fixture versus the Lions. During India’s tour of South Africa in December 2023, he made his ODI debut as well. While he opened the innings on his ODI debut, he will bat in the middle-order if he gets a chance in the England Tests.

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Patidar’s selection further solidifies the fact that the BCCI selection committee has moved past senior pros Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan’s wait to make it to the national team continues. 

The first Test between India and England will kick off on Thursday at the iconic Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Ben Stokes-led England have a herculean task to stop the Rohit Sharma-led hosts, who have not lost a home Test series since their 2-1 loss to the English side in 2012/13. 

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