Sehwag defied public opinion that Ajinkya Rahane is a liability in T20 cricket.
India's Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane doesn't look or play like the Gayles and Russells in T20 cricket. He gives an impression that he lacks the ability to play big shots from time to time. He is more of an orthodox batsman who likes to play shots along the ground which makes him less suitable to the shortest format of the game.
Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag is not of the same opinion and believes that Rahane is in fact a solid cricketer to have in one's T20 squad.
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Sehwag told Cricbuzz, "Very few rate him (Ajinkya Rahane) as a T20 player. They say he can’t hit the fours and sixes but when you have a solid player like him in your team then you can attack from the other end."
The Delhi Capitals (DC) had a tough choice to pick between the young opener Prithvi Shaw and an experienced Ajinkya Rahane. Sehwag credited DC coach Ricky Ponting for picking both these players in their last league stage fixture against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Sehwag said, "It was a tough call for Ricky Ponting as both Ajinkya Rahane and Prithvi Shaw were not performing. But he backed and played them, it was a tough decision. You play an experienced player because you know that he might not have scored runs for 3-4 games but he can come back in the next game with a big innings."
"That’s what Ajinkya Rahane did. He scored 60 off 46 balls and also scored at a strike rate of 130 which is more than his average scoring rate," he added.
DC will now face the defending champions Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 1 on Thursday, November 5.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)