Ahead of the Johannesburg Test between India and South Africa, head coach Rahul Dravid had come in support of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara despite the recent struggles of the veteran batters, However, if Pujara and Rahane are not able to find form in Jo’burg Test, it will become hard for Dravid and the team management to justify their inclusions, especially with the talented players who are warming the bench.
Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik expects Dravid to take a tough call on Pujara and Rahane if they fail to score runs. Recalling Pujara’s early years, Karthik recalled how the youngster, by scoring runs, had put pressure on Dravid at the twilight of The Wall’s career and feels the India coach can take matters into his hands before things take an unexpected turn.
During a chat on Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik said, “When Rahul Dravid was at the fag end of his career, it was actually Pujara who came in and did well at that No. 3 spot, put pressure on him to eventually take his spot. Obviously, that circle comes around. I do think Rahul Dravid will have to make a couple of harsh decisions and if that means dropping one or both of them, he’ll be open to it because he knows that they have been given a long rope before.”
WATCH – Bangladesh Took The Worst DRS Call As Ball Was Hitting Middle Of The Bat
He further added, “You don’t want to set the ground ablaze by making the big decisions right at the outset so I think he’s waiting and trying to assess what he can contribute to their careers and if it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be.”
It has been three years since Cheteshwar Pujara last scored a Test century, while Rahane only has a couple of fifties to show under his belt since his match-winning century at the MCG Test in December of 2020. Karthik reckons that for Pujara to go this long without a century is enough proof that he has been given a long rope, and believes that he and Rahane need to realize that he might not have a lot of time in his hands.
Elaborating the same, Dinesh Karthik said, “At No. 3 in inarguably the world’s best cricket team, to find a spot there for three years and not score a hundred – he (Pujara) will know he’s got a long, long rope. To a large extent they are playing because of the potential they have, and the performances they have shown, and obviously, they are senior statesmen [in the team] as well.”
ALSO READ: Aakash Chopra praises KL Rahul for his knock in the second Test
He also explained, “But the long rope they have been given is slowly burning out and you are coming to the end of it. I am very, very sure that they are both aware of it. Also, we have got to see the potential of the players at the back, they have done as well. Now if Virat Kohli returns, you get a feeling that one of the two has to give way.”
