‘I will still play KL Rahul over Sarfaraz Khan,’ says former India wicket-keeper | Cricket News

Sarfaraz Khan’s glowing maiden Test match hundred against New Zealand and KL Rahul’s no-show in the first Test are unlikely flip the pecking order, feels former India wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel.
While the 32-year-old Rahul failed in both innings at his home ground at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Sarfaraz smashed 150 on the back of a first-innings duck in India’s batting debacle. Replacing regular No.3 Shubman Gill in the XI, India played Sarfaraz at 4 while Rahul continued at No. 6.
However, with Gill slated to return for the second Test in Pune after India’s eight-wicket defeat, Patel feels India will continue to back Rahul in the lower-middle order. Rahul has had a poor stretch in Tests at home, having last scored a hundred back in 2016. Rahul’s Test average has dipped below 34 with his home aggregate showing only 264 runs in his last matches at a 29.33 average.
“The question will be whether Sarfaraz Khan will get to play or they will go with KL Rahul. I will still play KL Rahul, the way the team has shown faith in him. I am thinking like that based on how the team’s thinking has been,” Patel said while speaking on Colors Cineplex.
Patel highlighted that despite Gill’s absence at 3 due to a neck stiffness, India held Rahul back at No.6, indicating a change in role. Patel also insed the situation is similar to that of seamers Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep, with the former being backed despite low returns at home.
“If you wanted, you could have made Rahul bat at No. 3 in this Test match but you said that you didn’t want to change his position. Nothing to take from Sarfaraz’s knock, he made 150 runs for sure, but it’s the same situation as Mohammed Siraj or Akash Deep. There will definitely be pressure on KL Rahul but I would still play him,” Patel said.
India will take on the Kiwis in the second Test in Pune from Friday and have added all-rounder Washington Sundar to their initial squad.