'Honestly, I feel bad...': Kris Srikkanth on choosing between KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan for first Test against Bangladesh

NEW DELHI: Former cricketer Kris Srikkanth has shown support for KL Rahul to retain the No.5 spot in India's batting order for the first Test against Bangladesh. The match begins on September 19 in Chennai. Srikkanth prefers Rahul over Sarfaraz Khan, despite Sarfaraz's strong performances earlier this year.Rahul missed most of the England Test series due to injury, which allowed Sarfaraz to step in and score 200 runs at an average of 50. However, Srikkanth expressed his preference for Rahul on his YouTube channel. He said, "Honestly, I feel bad for Sarfaraz Khan. But this happens, at times, in Test cricket. You would have been playing well, but when a big player returns, you will have to lose your place."Srikkanth also mentioned the upcoming Australia series, highlighting Rahul's experience and success in overseas conditions. "At the back of the mind, they are also keeping the Australia series. New Zealand are also coming. KL Rahul has performed well overseas, in Australia he has done well," he added.Rahul's recent scores of 37 and 57 in the Duleep Trophy strengthen his case for selection. Meanwhile, India's top four are set with Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli, while Rishabh Pant is expected to bat at No.6 as the wicketkeeper. This leaves the No.5 spot to be decided between Rahul and Sarfaraz.Sarfaraz's recent Duleep Trophy performance, where he scored 9 and 46, poses a tough decision for the selectors ahead of the Bangladesh series. Indian team aims to present their strongest team in this series and future tours against New Zealand and Australia.