While the majority of Indian playing 11 for the 1st Bangladesh Test is already more or less confirmed, the real debate rages over the No 5 position where only one of KL Rahul or Sarfaraz Khan can make the cut. (More Sports News)
Sarfaraz's fearless approach in the middle order impressed everyone in the home Test series against England. The 26-year-old scored three fifties in the five innings he batted, and helped India win the series.
KL Rahul was off to a great start in the 1st Test against England with a half-century but an injury forced him out of the side. The 32-year-old had been in good form before his injury, scoring a century in tough South African conditions late last year.
Indian team management will have to make a choice between a seasoned campaigner in Rahul and a new man who comes with a refreshing approach in Sarfaraz. At this moment, it seems it is Rahul who is ahead in the pecking order.
With India's eyes fixed on the tour to Australia where both teams will play five Test matches, Rahul's experience could help him pip Sarfaraz in the playing 11. A BCCI source confirmed this.
"For people on the outside, they don't understand how a team works and what are the systems in place. In his last three Test matches, KL scored a century in South Africa, one of the best Test knocks in recent times and 86 at Hyderabad in the last Test he played before injury.
"He was not dropped but got injured. So, he is fit and available, scored a fifty in Duleep, got match time and he will start," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"Sarfaraz has done everything right and mind it, if there is an injury anywhere, he will just walk in but Rahul's experience is irreplaceable. And the team management is not just looking at Bangladesh, they are looking at Australia where previous experience matters," the source added
Rishabh Pant too is set to make his entry into the Playing 11 with Dhruv Jurel, who impressed during the England series, making way.
The real headache for the team management remains the selection of the third spinner. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav both have done really well in the chances they have got but only one of them can feature in the final 11.
The two-Test series between Bangladesh and India begins September 19 in Chennai with the second match starting on September 27 in Kanpur.
