Former Indian Test opener Wasim Jaffer has picked three new batters for India’s Test team after the two-match series against Sri Lanka. Jaffer urged the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel to back batters like Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh in the Test team.
Kishan recently led East Zone to glory in the Duleep Trophy, scoring 270 runs in the summit clash against South Zone.
Meanwhile, Tilak Varma recently returned with scores of 116*, 51* and 99 in the Duleep Trophy and played a key role in taking South Zone to the final of the domestic tournament. The southpaw has scored 1729 runs in 24 first-class matches at an impressive average of 55.77, including eight centuries and six fifties.
Rinku Singh has also performed consistently in the red-ball format, scoring 3757 runs in 53 first-class matches at an impressive average of 58.70.
“I also feel he (Kishan) has presented his case for the Test team. Yes there is Jurel and Pant so there is no place there but you can consider him as a batter. Same goes with Tilak Varma. I have said many times that Tilak is a three-format player and he has a brilliant average in red-ball cricket. I think we should keep both of them in mind. I will add Rinku Singh’s name as well in this list. You must not ignore these names,” Wasim Jaffer said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Jaffer highlighted that Varma has a solid technique and he can be backed in India’s middle order in the Test team.
“Tilak himself told that he used to see himself playing red-ball cricket first. It is a different thing that MI picked him and he played well in the IPL and adapted his game. But he actually prefers red-ball cricket and wants to play Tests. So that is a good thing. The technique is there, the temperament is there. Selectors must keep these few names in mind when the next Test team is made or when they need someone in the middle order.”
On the other hand, India’s rising star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 192 runs in five innings of the Duleep Trophy. Jaffer said playing in the red-ball domestic tournament will do a world of good for the youngster.
“I think he would have understood certain things about his game. He is a good reader and we have seen how quickly he can bring changes to his game. We saw it in the T20 format. These innings against good bowlers and good teams in the Duleep Trophy would have helped him to learn a lot and to know how to score in this format. When he plays the Ranji Trophy from here, I am sure we can see better performances from him. I want to see him bat for two sessions or even the whole day,” he said.
Sooryavanshi is not part of India’s playing XI in the opening T20I against Afghanistan
