* Patidar replaces the Virat for first two Test Match against England.
* In their starting XI for the opening Test match against England, Aakash Chopra predicts that India would start Axar Patel ahead of Kuldeep Yadav.
Dravid asks team to pace themselves for the long haul
India head coach Rahul Dravid has warned his team that they need to pace themselves for the upcoming Test series against England, which he called a “marathon”.
“It’s a long series and it’s important that we don’t get ahead of ourselves,” Dravid said. “We need to take it one game at a time and make sure we’re fresh and mentally ready for each challenge.”
Dravid’s comments come after the disappointing performance of Indian team in the recent white-ball series against England, which they lost 2-1. However, Dravid is confident that his team can bounce back in the Tests.
“We’ve got a good team and we’re playing at home,” Dravid said. “We know what we’re capable of and we’re confident that we can put in a good performance.”
Patidar replaces Virat for first two Tests:
Mayank Agarwal has been ruled out of the first two Tests against England due to an injury. Shubman Gill is likely to open the batting alongside Rohit Sharma, while Rajat Patidar has been called up as a replacement for Virat Kohli.
Kohli has been rested for the first two Tests in order to manage his workload. He is expected to return for the third and fourth Tests.
Chopra expects Axar Patel to get the nod ahead of Kuldeep Yadav:
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that Axar Patel is likely to get the nod ahead of the Kuldeep Yadav in Indian playing XI for the first Test against England.
“Axar Patel gives the Indian squad a greater equality,” Chopra said. “He can bat, bowl and field, and he is also a very good option against left-handed batsmen.”
Chopra added that Kuldeep Yadav is a talented bowler, but he is still a bit inconsistent.
“Kuldeep Yadav is a wicket-taker, but he can also be expensive,” Chopra said. “I think Axar Patel is the safer option for the first Test.”
