Rahul had earlier missed the second Test in Visakhapatnam on account of a quadricep damage, and was included within the squad for the final thee Exams solely topic to health. *A BCCI launch on Monday night mentioned he “has reached 90 per cent of match health” and that “he’ll proceed his restoration course of on the Nationwide Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to be utterly match-fit for the fourth and fifth Test.”
That apart, it is not confirmed but whether or not Ravindra Jadeja has recovered from the hamstring damage he had suffered in the course of the first Test in Hyderabad. Jadeja is within the squad to play the third Test, which can happen on his house floor, however his participation is pending health clearance.
He was additionally half of the shadow tour to South Africa with India A in December, the place he had a chance to coach alongside India’s Test regulars previous to an intra-squad fixture.
Having began off as an opener, Padikkal has slowly transitioned right into a predominantly top-order position that requires him to bat at No. 3 – and at occasions even at No. 4 – for Karnataka. With Mayank Agarwal and R Samarth opening the innings for his state facet, Padikkal has established himself decrease down. This variation of position is one thing he has learnt to embrace after a middling IPL 2023 for Rajasthan Royals. The tipping level, he mentioned, was his commerce to Lucknow Tremendous Giants, the place he’ll be taking part in underneath none apart from Rahul.
“I do not take a look at it in phrases of simply being an opener anymore,” he had mentioned. “I am having fun with my alternatives, wherever they might be. Every place you bat in gives a unique problem. I am making an attempt to be taught new issues, [and] adapt to conditions. It helps me develop as a cricketer, [and] helps me perceive the sport much more – not simply in phrases of my batting however [also] how the sport works throughout totally different phases.”
Total, Padikkal has strong first-class credentials, having averaged 44.54 throughout 31 matches. He has performed two T20Is for India, each of which got here against Sri Lanka in July 2021.
In Visakhapatnam, India handed a Test debut to Rajat Patidar. Sarfaraz Khan is the opposite uncapped batter within the combine together with Padikkal. Jadeja’s potential unavailability may nicely pave means for one more Test debutant in Rajkot. It is also doubtless India may nonetheless choose one of Sarfaraz and Padikkal even when Jadeja is accessible and so they play their common three spinners and two quicks.
India have two full days of coaching main into Rajkot, with the sequence locked at 1-1.
GMT 1450 hrs This story was up to date with info from a BCCI press launch
