Former Indian player Deep Dasgupta believes Indian Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane isn't the same batsman as he was in the year 2015-16.
Despite ending as India’s highest run-scorer in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) with 1159 runs from 18 Tests at 42.92 with 3 centuries and 6 half-centuries, Ajinkya Rahane's inconsistency has become a cause for concern for Virat Kohli-led side.
India’s Test vice-captain, since scoring a match-winning hundred against Australia in Melbourne, has been going through a lean phase and is averaging just over 21 in 7 Tests to go with only one-half century.
Deep Dasgupta raised concern over Ajinkya Rahane saying that he doesn’t think that the right-handed batsman is the same player that he was in 2015-16.
He recalled how the Indian Test vice-captain scored more than 4000-4500 runs on the moist Wankhede pitch before playing for India that was a nightmare for batsmen.
"I don't think Rahane is the same player that he was. In 2015-16, Rahane was unbelievable. He was a player that I saw playing for Mumbai. The Wankhede pitch on the first morning was moist, the pitch had grass and it was a nightmare batting there those days. But Rahane scored more than 4000-4500 runs before playing for India, batting predominantly at No.3 position,” Deep Dasgupta.
Deep Dasgupta was further critical of Ajinkya Rahane's batting technique in India, where he averages just over 36 from 31 Tests. But that average goes up to 44.44 when he plays overseas. He added that the 33-year-old is tentative in his first 20 balls but when he plays big innings he’s a lot more confident.
"When you bat in India, your skillset changes. You play swing and pace outside but here you need to play reverse swing. If you go and check Rahane's footwork in 2015-16, you will realise that his footwork is not that definite. He is very tentative in his first 20 balls and whenever he plays a big inning, he is a lot more confident," he said.
Ajinkya Rahane will next be seen in action when Team India will face England in the five-Test series, starting 4th August.
(India today inputs)
