"This has been the biggest problem in KL Rahul's career" - Aakash Chopra on Rahul missing 2nd IND vs ENG Test due to injury

Aakash Chopra has pointed out that injuries and illnesses have been the biggest stumbling blocks in KL Rahul's career.

India face England in the second Test of the five-match series in Visakhapatnam on Friday, February 2. They will miss Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul, with the spin-bowling all-rounder sustaining a hamstring string, and Rahul complaining of pain in his right quadriceps.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra noted that Rahul has been laid low by injuries or illnesses at inopportune moments (1:50):

"This has been the biggest problem in KL Rahul's career. Injuries or illnesses have come at the wrong time and they have come many a time. When you feel everything is gone fine - injury, dengue or COVID - something or the other goes wrong with him. I feel Rahu is sitting in his kundali."

The former India opener feels the Karnataka player's absence is a massive setback for the hosts:

"The way he played in the first innings, and to be fair, he was batting assuredly in the second innings as well. There are very few people in our team who play the sweep. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul play the sweep, and KL Rahul will now not be there in this game."

Rahul scored 86 runs in the first innings of the series opener before holing out to Rehan Ahmed at deep midwicket off debutant Tom Hartley. He looked comfortable at the crease during his 22-run knock in the second innings but was trapped in front of the wickets by Joe Root.

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"You can go towards Sarfaraz because he can play in an unorthodox fashion" - Aakash Chopra on choosing KL Rahul's replacement

Sarfaraz Khan has been added to the Indian squad for the second Test.

While observing that Rohit Sharma and Co. will have to choose between Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar as KL Rahul's replacement, Aakash Chopra reckons the former could be an enticing option:

"Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar are available with this team. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Virat Kohli are still not there.

"They will have to play either Rajat Patidar or Sarfaraz. You can go towards Sarfaraz because he can play in an unorthodox fashion and is a very good player of spin."

However, the cricketer-turned-commentator feels Patidar might pip the Mumbai batter to the spot.

"However, Rajat Patidar is ahead in the pecking order, as he was with the team earlier. So, he might get the nod as he has come after scoring a lot of runs in domestic cricket and playing a lot of spin," Chopra reasoned.

Patidar has scored 4000 runs at an average of 45.97 in 55 first-class games and scored centuries in both games against England Lions recently.

Sarfaraz, meanwhile, has amassed 3912 runs at an average of 69.85 in 45 first-class games and played a 161-run knock in the second unofficial Test against the Lions.