A surprise return to Tests and even more surprising return as the vice-captain on the back, Ajinkya Rahane is all set to face the heat. The reason, despite his claims of being young, he is on the wrong side of 35 and also at max a temporary replacement for injured Shreyas Iyer and even KL Rahul. IND vs WI Test series may be the beginning of WTC 2023-25 cycle for India but it could very well be the end of Rahane as well.
He deserved to retain his spot despite WTC Final debacle after scoring 89 and 46. But on the next tour, to South Africa in December, it could get tricky. Iyer is likely to be fit by then and if he gets some scores in domestic cricket, he is going to be on the flight to South Africa. Whether Rahane can still find a spot will not only depend on the West Indies series but also on domestic cricket as well as in the country cricket.
“Of course, it is going to be an important series for Ajinkya. You see, the competition is only increasing. There is Shreyas and then you can’t write off Sarfaraz. When KL is back from injury, he will be back in the mix too. For a team that is in transition, it is important for all the senior players to score runs. If juniors do well, you never know when that player comes in for your place,” a senior BCCI official explained.
Also Read: ‘Opportunity for someone…’ Ajinkya Rahane hints Yashasvi Jaiswal Test debut
Ajinkya Rahane Record in West Indies
What could help him in his cause is his record in the West Indies. Rahane has scored 514 runs in just 8 innings at an average of 102.80 with two centuries and three half-centuries. Even in ODIs, he has scored 336 runs in 5 innings at an average of 67.20. He also has a century and three fifties.
| Format | Innings | Runs | Avg | HS | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 8 | 514 | 102.8 | 108* | 2 | 3 |
| ODI | 5 | 336 | 67.2 | 103 | 1 | 3 |
Against a mediocre bowling attack, if Rahane can score some big runs his former Mumbai teammate Ajit Agarkar, who is also the chief selector now, will be forced to rethink. That makes the four innings Rahane has the most crucial innings of his career.
With Cheteshwar Pujara on the verge of permanent exile, Rahane is the last man standing for now. He knows four innings are four rare opportunities he has to prolong his Test career at the expense of a junior teammate.
“I am really happy to be back in the team. I was vice-captain for 4-5 years. I am still young and have a lot of cricket left in me. I had a good domestic season and IPL. That is why I feel a lot more confident. In the last year, I have worked a lot on my fitness, and worked on a few points in batting. At the moment, I am enjoying my cricket,” Ajinkya Rahane said ahead of the IND vs WI 1st Test.
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