Former India batsman VVS Laxman has said that he feels Ajinkya Rahane will get one more chance to prove his worth in the middle order when India play against New Zealand in the second Test, starting December 3 in Mumbai. Laxman further added that head coach Rahul Dravid and returning captain Virat Kohli will back him despite his poor show.
VVS Laxman also said that Shreyas Iyer might “unfortunately miss out” on the second Test as Virat Kohli will take his place in the middle-order after returning to the team. Questions are being asked of Ajinkya Rahane’s place as well after he failed to score in the ongoing first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur.
“Yes, it’s going to be a tough choice because of the way he batted, the way he rescued the innings. The way some of those batters got out in the morning session, it’s certainly a selection dilemma,” VVS Laxman told Star Sports.
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“You want someone in Mumbai to play in good form. However, I think there is an unwritten rule that whoever is injured or whoever misses out… the senior player, in this case, Virat Kohli, will return and senior players Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara who haven’t been in great form, especially Ajinkya Rahane will still get one more chance in Mumbai. I don’t think Rahul Dravid or Virat Kohli will leave out Rahane,” he further added.
Meanwhile, Iyer, who has smashed a hundred in the first innings and a fifty in the second, is likely to lose his place. But many felt it would be unfair to him. And, Laxman added: “Unfortunately, it will force the team to leave out someone who has had a fantastic debut. It will be unfortunate but I think that has been the rule as far this Indian team is concerned.”
Meanwhile, former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull has said it’s not fair to drop Shreyas Iyer after his stunning Test debut.
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“You can’t deny a player like Shreyas Iyer a Test match after a hundred and fifty. For me, unfortunately, Ajinkya Rahane misses out. I understand that talk about loyalty but loyalty lasts only a certain amount of time. They have shown an immense amount of loyalty in Pujara and Rahane. Pujara has gone 39 innings at No. 3 without a hundred. So he has had a fair crack at it. Rahane’s average has dropped from nearly 50 to under 40. He scored only one fifty in England. I think he has had his time,” he shared.
