In a heartwarming moment ahead of the third Test match between India and England in Rajkot, Sarfaraz Khan, the 26-year-old batter, was handed his debut Test cap by legendary spinner Anil Kumble. The occasion was emotional not just for Sarfaraz but also for his father, who couldn’t contain his tears during the ceremony.
Sarfaraz’s inclusion in the Indian team comes on the back of his exceptional performance in the domestic circuit over the past few years. With key players like Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul absent, Sarfaraz will take on the responsibility alongside Rajat Patidar and fellow debutant Dhruv Jurel in the middle order.
India won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Test match, making four changes to their lineup. Captain Rohit Sharma expressed confidence in his team’s ability to perform well on what promises to be a better pitch compared to the previous matches in the series.
The series is currently tied at 1-1, adding to the anticipation surrounding this crucial Test match. England captain Ben Stokes marks his 100th Test appearance, while India introduces Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel to the playing eleven.
The teams for the match are as follows:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes(c), Ben Foakes (wk), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
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