IND vs SA LIVE: Team India do Ajaz Patel to Shreyas Iyer – After a century on Test debut in Kanpur, Shreyas Iyer did enough to earn a place in India’s Playing XI. But captain Virat Kohli and head coach Rahul Dravid opted to back ex-vice captain Ajinkya Rahane instead, raising questions if it is fair. In a way, it was exactly what happened to Ajaz Patel. The Kiwi spinner was dropped despite bagging all 10 wickets. It raises the question, is it fair? Follow IND vs SA LIVE updates on Insidesport.in.
Before the 1st Test in Centurion, Ajinkya Rahane’s dwindling stats called out loudly that he is all set to be benched. While Virat Kohli was expected to go with a five-bowlers template, there was only one place and Shreyas Iyer was hands down winning it against state senior Rahane. But it was not to be on Boxing Day.
IND vs SA LIVE: Shreyas Iyer SHOCKINGLY benched, Kohli prefers Ajinkya Rahane for debut century maker, Is it fair?
Ajinkya Rahane for Shreyas Iyer – is it fair? – Ajinkya Rahane has had a torrid last 12 months to say the least. While Rahane has a decent record in South Africa, he has averaged just 19.57 in matches played in 2021 with just two half-centuries. His dip in form also saw him losing the vice-captaincy, with Rohit Sharma taking over the reins.
Captain @imVkohli wins the toss and #TeamIndia will bat first.
A look at our Playing XI for the 1st Test.#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/DDACnaXiK8
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 26, 2021
No love lost for Ajinkya Rahane
- Ajinkya Rahane averages just 19 in 2021, but was named in the XI for IND vs SA 1st Test
- Shreyas Iyer, who scored a hundred and a fifty in his debut match was dropped
- Hanuma Vihari had scored 3 consecutive 50s in SA, was also ignored.
- Earlier, Virat Kohli had also dropped triple centurion Karun Nair for Ajinkya Rahane
- Nair faded off the scene while Rahane averaged in the early 30s in the next two years.
IND vs SA LIVE: Shreyas Iyer SHOCKINGLY benched, Kohli prefers Ajinkya Rahane for debut century maker, Is it fair?
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer has not put a foot wrong ever since making his bow in the longest format of the game. While the series is his first trip abroad, Iyer kick-started his career by becoming the first Indian batsman to score a century and a half-century on debut. The Mumbai born batsman averages over 50 in first-class cricket, and he will be hard done by his exclusion from the XI.
IND vs SA LIVE: Shreyas Iyer SHOCKINGLY benched, Kohli prefers Ajinkya Rahane for debut century maker, Is it fair?
The other one who will also be disappointed is Hanuma Vihari. He is also another victim of the decision by Virat Kohli and the team management despite the Hyderabad man doing exactly what the team asked him to do.
The Hyderabad batsman was sent on South Africa A tour after being dropped from New Zealand series at home. Hanuma Vihari responded with three consecutive 50+ scores and was in contention for the spot that rather “unfairly” went to Rahane.
IND vs SA LIVE: Shreyas Iyer SHOCKINGLY benched, Kohli prefers Ajinkya Rahane for debut century maker, Is it fair?
Ajinkya Rahane has enjoyed some serious backing by Team India over the years and it is not the first time that an in-form player had to make way for the Mumbai born batsman. Karun Nair, who was only the second Indian to score a triple hundred in Test cricket was unceremoniously dropped to accommodate Rahane in the XI, who averaged in the early 30s for the next two years.
Shreyas Iyer’s heartbreak follows yet another record breaker being snubbed from the squad after Ajaz Patel was dropped for New Zealand’s series against Bangladesh. Patel became only the third cricketer to pick all 10 wickets in a Test innings, but was deemed surplus to requirements for next month’s matches on the greener surfaces of Mount Maunganui and Christchurch.
IND vs SA LIVE: Shreyas Iyer SHOCKINGLY benched, Kohli prefers Ajinkya Rahane for debut century maker, Is it fair?
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