Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh wants team management to back senior batter Ajinkya Rahane and play him in the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
Ajinkya Rahane has been under criticism for his poor run of form with the bat. The senior Indian batter registered a golden duck in the first innings of the second Test in Johannesburg and it almost seemed that the second innings of the match would be his last chance to save his place in the side.
However, in the second innings, Ajinkya Rahane stood tall for his team and scored a counter-attacking half-century to help his side post a fighting target of 240 runs for the hosts to chase.
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Virat Kohli, who missed the second Test due to upper back spasm, will return to the XI for the upcoming third Test, and it remains to be seen who the skipper will replace in the side.
Speaking in a video posted on his YouTube channel, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh hoped that Ajinkya Rahane should be given another chance in Cape Town and does not have to make way for Virat Kohli in the series decider.
"The good thing that happened in the Johannesburg Test was that runs came from Ajinkya Rahane's bat in the second innings. I hope Ajinkya Rahane is given another chance in Cape Town. It should not happen that Virat Kohli comes in and Ajinkya Rahane is made to sit out," Harbhajan Singh said.
Singh said that he would want Ajinkya Rahane to convert his half-century into a ton and his confidence will be better for the upcoming series. He stressed that the sword is hanging over the necks of Rahane and Pujara and it was good that both of them scored runs and batted with responsibility in the second Test.
"I will want Rahane to score runs, to convert the fifty to a hundred, so that his confidence will be better for the upcoming series. The sword is hanging over the necks of Ajinkya Rahane and Pujara. So, it felt good that both of them scored runs and batted with responsibility,” he said.
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Harbhajan Singh further lauded Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara as formidable players, saying that although the latter hasn’t scored big runs but hoped his fifties would be converted into centuries.
"Both of them are formidable players, it does not need to be mentioned. They have been in the Indian team for a long time and have secured a permanent place for themselves although Ajinkya did not have a good last season, he didn't score the big runs.
“I hope those fifties would have been converted to centuries but it's good to see that both of them are gaining their confidence. I know there is a lot of pressure when a player is not in form but I think you guys have done a commendable job," he said.
The Test series between South Africa and India is leveled at 1-1. The third and final match of the series will take place in Cape Town from 11th January.
