India’s Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara is confident that stand-in skipper, Ajinkya Rahane, who will be leading the team in the first Test of the two-match series against New Zealand is a ‘great player’ and the latter is one knock away from getting his rhythm back. Pujara, who has also had an ordinary year with the bat by his own standards, will be Rahane’s deputy in the first game.

Rahane has been struggling to score runs on a consistent basis in red-ball cricket this year, averaging just over 19 in 11 Tests, and will be looking to regain his touch before leading out Team India in the series-opener against the World Test Champions on November 25.

ALSO READ: Suryakumar Yadav To Replace KL Rahul In The India Test Squad

Talking about the same during a press conference on Tuesday, Cheteshwar Pujara said, “Rahane is a great player. There are times when a player goes through these periods. He is just one innings away from getting the rhythm back. he will get good runs in the series.”

Notably, Rahane will be leading the Indian team in the first Test of the series in Kanpur, with Virat Kohli making a comeback from the second Test. First-team regulars Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant will be missing the entire series as they have been rested and KL Rahul has also suffered a muscle strain. 

Ajinkya has struggled to find consistency since his century in Melbourne with questions being raised around whether he should continue playing in the squad for India’s final Test against England before the match was eventually postponed.

ALSO READ: Tamim Iqbal To Miss New Zealand Tour After Suffering Thumb Injury

Notably, Rahane has played 40 Tests and scored 7 half-centuries and 3 centuries since 2019. Earlier this year, he led India to a historic series win Down Under, and on the batting front, he failed to impress.