India's stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane walked out on Day 4 of the ongoing Kanpur Test against New Zealand to save India from a collapse. But before Rahane could score some important runs when the team needed it, he was dismissed by the Kiwi spinner Ajaz Patel on a score of four.
Team India were struggling at 51/5 on Sunday (November 28) before Shreyas Iyer stitched up a partnership with R Ashwin, and then Wriddhiman Saha. Rahane has been out of form in 2021 with only a couple of half-centuries in 12 matches, including the ongoing Test match. He averages less than 20 with a high score of only 67 runs.
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Former New Zealand cricketer Daniel Vettori suggested Team India to replace Rahane in the second Test with full-time Test skipper Virat Kohli, who will be returning to the side after a break. He wants Rahane to 'resettle' everything as a batter and make a comeback.
“I still think Rahane is still a solid player. He looks like he wants to be aggressive; the way he is playing doesn’t feel tentative. but he is getting out. In a lot of ways, being dropped and having the ability to come back and resettle everything as a batsman, particularly at the Test level, can weigh you down,” Vettori told ESPNcricinfo.
In the first innings, Rahane was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson on 35 runs, and Iyer, who's making his Test debut, had scored a hundred to help India take a lead. Vettori further said it will be harsh on Iyer to not play the second Test even after getting off to a good start in Test cricket.
“If they [Indian team management] leave him out of the next Test match, I don’t think it will be a death-knell for his career; it will just be a one-Test dropping, because it just resets everything, gives him a chance to go back and do a bit of work."
“I think it’s hard to drop someone [Iyer] who has scored a century on Test debut against a quality side. So, it will probably be Rahane who will make way [for Kohli],” he added.
(With ESPNCricinfo Inputs)
