Both Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant will most likely be fit to play in the second Test against New Zealand in Pune beginning on Thursday. With Gill back in the XI, who goes out?
Will it be KL Rahul, who failed to get going in both innings of the opening Test in Bengaluru which India lost by eight wickets? Or, would it be Sarfaraz Khan, whose breathtaking 150 had kept Indiaalive even after a huge 356-run deficit?
The Team India coaching staff doesn’t wish to “sugarcoat” the fight for a spot. Depending on the Pune pitch, it will take a call between Rahul and Sarfaraz.
“There’s no point in sugarcoating it. There’s a fight for a spot,” India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said ahead of India’s training session at the MCA Stadium in Pune.
“Sarfaraz was obviously brilliant in the last Test. I went to KL after the game and said, ‘How many balls do you play and miss at?’ He didn’t play and miss at one ball and that’s what tends to happen when you’re not getting runs. He got the two balls in the game: one caught down the leg side and the other one which he managed to nick.
“There’s certainly no concerns about KL. He’s batting nicely and is in a good mental space. But we are certainly going to have to fit seven pieces into six spots for this Test and look at the pitch to decide what’s going to be best for the team,” Ten Doeschate said.
The assistant coach also mentioned that the team management has a lot of faith in Rahul, while also highlighting the “competitive environment” in the team. “It’s not like we’re worried about his (Rahul’s) form.
“If you go on just the past three months since Gauti (Gautam Gambhir) has been in here, he’s keen to give him (Rahul) as much rope as we can. We have a lot of faith in him.
“But at the same time, it’s a very competitive environment, with Sarfaraz getting 150-plus runs (222 not out) in the Irani Cup final. The decision will be what’s best for the team, but we’ll certainly back all the guys in,” Ten Doeschate explained.
Going by what the assistant coach said, it won’t be too surprising to see Rahul retaining his place. If that happens, it will obviously be quite unfair to Sarfaraz, considering the effort he put in at an extremely difficult stage for India.
About Pant and Gill, Ten Doeschate said: “Rishabh is pretty good. I think Rohit (Sharma) touched on it the other day.
“He (Pant) was having a little bit of discomfort at the end range of his movement with the knee. But fingers crossed, he’ll be good to keep in the (second) Test,” he said.
“Shubman also looks so (available for this Test). He batted last week in Bengaluru and had a few nets sessions... He’s got a little bit of discomfort, but I think he’ll be good to go for the Test.”
Pant had hurt his right knee, the one operated upon after his 2022 accident, during the 37th over of New Zealand’s first innings off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja and couldn’t keep wickets. Gill missed the opener with stiff neck.
