'Patidar rewarded but...': Anil Kumble picks Iyer over Kohli's replacement, predicts scoreline of England Test series

Anil Kumble shared his views about the selection of Rajat Patidar

You can’t gaze in the crystal ball and see the future of the Indian cricket team this year. Even though India are set to start as favourites in the five-match Test series against England, legendary Indian cricketer Anil Kumble was typically nonchalant about telling what the future has in store for Rohit Sharma’s men. Will Yashasvi Jaiswal establish himself in the five-Test series? Who will be the next Graeme Swann or Ravichandran Ashwin? On Wednesday, Kumble dodged routine build-up questions for the Player of Series with aplomb.

However, the spin-bowling legend believes that England can take one match away from India out of five possible Tests. Throwing weight behind Rohit’s men on the eve of the 1st Test against England, the former Indian skipper prophesied the Asian giants winning the series 4-1 in their backyard. Responding to a Hindustan Times query during a special interaction organised by Jio Cinema, Kumble asserted that he is optimistic about all five Tests producing results.

‘One to England and four to India’: Kumble’s series prediction

“I’m not a guy with a crystal ball, but I can certainly see India winning the series. I am thinking all five Tests would provide results because of the approach that these two teams have towards Test cricket. Unless and until the weather intervenes, all five Test matches would have results. I would give one to England and four to India,” Kumble said.

Can India seal a 17th consecutive Test series?

Hosts India will put its exceptional home record on the line against a Bazball-friendly England side in Hyderabad. It has been more than a decade since India lost a Test series at home. With Rohit at the helm, India will aim to seal a 17th consecutive Test series triumph on home soil. The hosts will battle for Test supremacy with England in the absence of batting icon Virat Kohli, who opted to pull out of the first two games for personal reasons.

Kohli out, Patidar in

Fresh from playing an explosive knock of 151 off 158 balls against England Lions, Rajat Patidar was drafted to the Indian squad as Kohli’s replacement for the first two Tests against England. Uncapped Patidar averages above 45 plus with 4,000 runs in 54 first-class games in his nine-year domestic career. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter made his One Day International (ODI) debut against South Africa at Boland Park in December. The Madhya Pradesh batter can be the seventh Indian to debut in a Test after turning 30 since 2000. Should Patidar feature in the Indian XI? Kumble feels it’s Shreyas Iyer who has an edge over the newly recruited batter.

‘My sense would be that Shreyas…’

“Certainly, he’s done well over the years. It’s wonderful to see a young player come back. In England Lions’ game, when the team was in trouble, he came in and scored a brilliant hundred. He’s been rewarded by the selectors as a replacement. But I doubt whether he will play tomorrow. My sense would be that Shreyas (Iyer), now the team management has clearly stated that (KL) Rahul will not be keeping wickets, I am assuming that it’ll be Shreyas at No. 4, then No. 5 would be KL Rahul, (at) No. 6 (KS) Bharat and then the all-rounders. So I feel that would be the approach,” Kumble explained.

Read more news like this on HindustanTimes.com