Former India batsman-turned-commentator, Sanjay Manjrekar, was critical of Ajinkya Rahane's mode of dismissal on Day 3 of the first Test against Australia and questioned whether the Indian vice-captain is doing enough with the bat.
Rahane was one of the batsmen dismissed edging the ball back as India suffered their worst-ever collapse to 36 all out against some class Australian bowling. The elegant right-hander, who had played a decent knock of 42 in the first-innings, got out driving a full ball off Josh Hazlewood without troubling the scorers.
WATCH - Fall of wickets as India crashes to 36 all out on Day 3 in Adelaide
"Ainkya Rahane is interesting. Look at Rahane's front foot. He wants to get forward, the confusion is in the length. Virat Kohli commits himself forward, and Rahane wants to get forward. You are sort of putting your bat there and hoping the ball touches the bat," Manjrekar said on Sony Sports Network.
"Having said that, Ajinkya Rahane has 80 (65) Tests now under his belt. If at all, there is a batsman that India want (to step up) in a situation like this..., you have got to expect more from Rahane in situations like this. More than people like Hanuma Vihari, for example."
Earlier on, No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara (0) also got out edging back against Pat Cummins on a beauty of a ball, which seamed away late upon pitching. But Manjrekar felt Pujara didn't control the controllables enough and should've kept the bat face straight, instead of pointing it towards leg-side.
"If you have to pick a reason for Pujara's wicket... when you have a ball that is pitching on off stump and leaving you, you have to play with a straight bat. Pujara's bat face was facing the leg side, it's just that he hasn't got into the right position," he said.
Manjrekar, though, didn't take anything away from both Hazlewood (5/8) and Cummins (4/21), who were unplayable with the ball.
"The first on the first half of Day 1 was sluggish but on Day 3, it quickened up. Tells you a lot about the Australian pitches, plus you have the seam movement as well. Hazlewood, what a bowler. Pat Cummins was brilliant as well," he said.
