Kris Srikkanth empathizes with Sarfaraz Khan as KL Rahul makes a comeback to India's Test squad

New Delhi: With the selectors finalizing the squad and head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma in place, the focus now shifts to determining the playing XI for the upcoming Test against Bangladesh. The 16-member squad has been carefully selected for the first Test in Chennai, but it will be up to the captain and coach to decide on the ideal combination for the match. Both Gambhir and Sharma see this as a welcome challenge, as they aim to select the perfect team that will deliver the desired results on the field.

Though there are some certain picks in the XI, a couple of slots will ensure a fair fight. For the middle-order slot, Sarfaraz Khan and KL Rahul will be fighting it out for the No.5 slot. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant are two varied options, which again gives the team management a headache to deal with.

Former chief selector of the BCCI, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, is of the view that at No. 5, KL Rahul should be preferred over Sarfaraz Khan because he is a bigger player. Similarly, Srikkanth says Rishabh Pant should get the nod over Dhruv Jurel since the former has more experience and a proven track record as the keeper.

“Honestly, I feel bad for Sarfaraz Khan. But, this happens, at times, in Test cricket. You would have been playing well but when a big player returns, you will have to lose your place. Take for instance, Rishabh Pant is returning because of which Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan are losing their places. KL Rahul is coming in,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

The same was echoed by the 1983 World Cup-winning star Krishnamachari Srikkanth: strong overseas record gives KL Rahul an additional edge over Sarfaraz Khan, who has played just one series and that too at home against England earlier this year.

“At the back of the mind, they are also keeping the Australia series. New Zealand are also coming. KL Rahul has performed well overseas, in Australia he has done well,” added Srikkanth.

KL Rahul has represented India in 50 Tests and has been quite an integral part of the red-ball setup in the last couple of years. Management is likely to give him enough opportunity ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant gets ready for his long-awaited Test return after a lay-off of 15 months due to the serious car accident last December 2022 where he had sustained grave knee and back injuries.

The 26-year-old wicketkeeper batsman has been in very good form since returning to elite cricket last year, and he has also carried the form across formats, playing a serious role in helping the team win the T20 World Cup back in June.