Rajat Patidar has earned his maiden Indian call-up for the South Africa ODI series, and Dinesh Karthik has lauded his selection.
Advertisement
After winning the T20I series against South Africa, the Indian team will be playing three ODIs against the Proteas as well. Shikhar Dhawan will be leading the side, whereas Shreyas Iyer has been named his deputy. It is interesting that Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi and Deepak Chahar are included in the series despite being part of the T20 World Cup stand-bys.
Shubhman Gill will continue to play at the top order, whereas Kuldeep Yadav and Shahbaz Ahmed have also been included in the team. Rajat Patidar and Mukesh Kumar have been selected in the Indian team for the very first time because of their consistent performances.
Rajat Patidar came in as a late replacement in Royal Challengers Bangalore for IPL 2022, but what a season he had. He scored 333 runs in 8 innings at an average of 55.50, with the help of a century and 2 half-centuries. Patidar had an incredible S/R of 152.75 in the tournament.
Dinesh Karthik delighted with Rajit Patidar’s inclusion in IND vs SA ODIs
Indian wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik has expressed his delight at the inclusion of Rajat Patidar and Mukesh Kumar in the ODI squad against South Africa. Both Karthik and Patidar played for RCB in the IPL 2022. He also said that the performances of Sarfaraz Khan and Baba Indrjith also cannot be ignored.
“So happy to see Rajat Patidar there, so deserves this selection. Well done to Mukesh Kumar too. Now Sarfaraz Khan and Indrajith baba into the test scheme of things. Can’t ignore such brilliant performers and performances. They’ve just been phenomenal. TALENT APLENTY,” Dinesh Karthik tweeted.
Sarfaraz Khan recently smashed his 10th FC ton in the Irani Cup match against Saurashtra in Rajkot. He also finished as the highest run-scorer of the last Ranji Trophy season. Sarfaraz scored 982 runs at an astonishing average of 122.75 with the help of 4 centuries and 2 half-centuries.
ALSO READ: Suryakumar Yadav lauds Sarfaraz Khan’s Irani Cup century
Baba Indrajith was unlucky to not make the Rest of India’s squad for the Irani Cup, but he also has been one of the most consistent for Tamil Nadu in the circuit. In the next test series of India against Bangladesh, both of them can earn their maiden call-ups.
