Rajat Patidar to sub in for Virat Kohli in first two India-England Tests

Patidar marked his international debut on December 21, 2023, in the 3rd ODI against South Africa. Opening for the 'Men in Blue,' he scored 22 runs from 16 balls, boasting a strike rate of 137.50.

New Delhi: Right-handed batter Rajat Patidar on Wednesday has been called up to replace Virat Kohli in India’s first two Test matches against England, according to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources.

Patidar made his international debut on December 21 2023 against South Africa in the 3rd ODI match, where he opened for the ‘Men in Blue’ and scored 22 runs from 16 balls with a strike rate of 137.50.

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Meanwhile, last week, Patidar appeared for India A and scored 151 against the England Lions in Ahmedabad. The right-handed batter is currently in his top form which would help the hosts in the upcoming Test series against England.

However, the 30-year-old batter is yet to make his Test debut for India.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Patidar scored 404 runs after playing 12 matches at an average of 40.4 and with a strike rate of 144.29.

On Monday, BCCI announced that star India batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Tests against England due to personal reasons.

“Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming Test series against England, citing personal reasons,” BCCI said in an official statement.

“The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli‘s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series,” the statement concluded.

India are set to play a five-match Test series, the first of which will be held in Hyderabad on January 25. The second match of the series will be played on February 2 in Vizag. The fifth and final test will be held in Dharamshala and the series will conclude on March 11.