Ex-India legend's controversial opinion on selecting KL Rahul over Sarfaraz Khan for 2nd Test: 'He scored 150 runs but I prefer...'

KL Rahul's struggles with the bat continued as he failed to make an impact against New Zealand at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The opener was out for a duck in the first innings and managed just 15 runs in the second innings. With his poor form, Rahul's place in the playing XI is now in jeopardy. Sarfaraz Khan's impressive performance in place of the injured Shubman Gill has put added pressure on Rahul to deliver in order to retain his spot in the team.

Shubman is expected to return to the Pune Test as he was seen training in the nets after the Bengaluru Test, and it will put the team management in a tricky position to pick one between Sarfaraz and Rahul in the middle order.

Meanwhile, former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has made it crystal clear that he will still choose Rahul over Sarfaraz, considering how the team management backed him in recent times when it comes to red-ball cricket.

"The question will be whether Sarfaraz Khan will get to play or they will go with KL Rahul. I will still play KL Rahul, the way the team has shown faith in him. I am thinking like that based on how the team's thinking has been," Patel told Colors Cineplex.

Rahul's batting record at home in Test cricket has dipped in the last couple of years, he has scored just 264 runs in 6 matches at an underwhelming average of 29.33.

Patel observed that India stuck with Rahul at number 6 in the middle order and didn't promote him to number 3 in the absence of Shubman in Bengaluru.

"If you wanted, you could have made Rahul bat at No. 3 in this Test match but you said that you didn't want to change his position. Nothing to take from Sarfaraz's knock, he made 150 runs for sure, but it's the same situation as Mohammed Siraj or Akash Deep. There will definitely be pressure on KL Rahul but I would still play him,"