3 reasons why Ajinkya Rahane can still make a comeback to India's Test team
Former Team India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane made a return to competitive cricket in the Duleep Trophy 2022 quarter-finals, which began on Thursday, September 8. The 34-year-old is captaining West Zone in the domestic competition.
Rahane missed part of IPL 2022 as well as the Ranji Trophy 2022 knockout matches after suffering a hamstring injury.
Speaking ahead of his comeback from injury, the right-handed batter asserted that he is looking forward to starting from zero again. He told reporters:
“For me, I don't want to think about my past or future; it's about being in the moment, and that's why I said I want to start from zero again. You always get goosebumps when you go on the field, and I always like that feeling.”
Rahane hasn’t played a Test for India since featuring against South Africa in Cape Town in January this year. While a number of experts feel that his Test career is over, we look at three reasons why the veteran batter might be handed another comeback.
#1 India might need his experience
When Rahane was dropped from the Test team for the home series against Sri Lanka, it was the right decision. In fact, he should have been axed much earlier. In 15 Tests since the start of 2021, the batter has managed only 547 runs at an average of 20.25. During the phase, he averaged 21.75 in Australia, 19.22 in England, 18.87 in India, and 22.66 in South Africa.
The numbers clearly tell the story of Rahane’s decline as a batter. At the same time, it wasn’t as if he was not contributing at all. Even during this barren patch, he scored a vital 61 in the second innings of the Lord’s Test last year, which India won by 151 runs.
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He also contributed 67 on a tricky surface in Chennai during the second Test against England in February 2021. His 58 in the second Test in Johannesburg against the Proteas came in a losing cause, but it was among the most fluent knocks he has played in recent times.
What these performances indicate is that Rahane has not lost his mojo with the willow completely. He is still 34, and can, perhaps, be given another chance to prove his worth all over again. After all, in tough conditions, there is no substitute for experience.
#2 Selectors might want to see how the break has helped him
While he was part of the Test side despite consistent failures, Rahane was clearly looking jaded, both physically and mentally. The pressure of non-performance was undoubtedly taking a toll on him, and the same was reflected in his lack of conviction while at the crease.
In hindsight, the selectors could have done Rahane a favor by dropping him from the team earlier or resting him, whichever way one wants to look at it. Playing constantly when you are not doing well does take its toll on players. We saw what happened to Virat Kohli as well.
Following a short break, Kohli has returned to international cricket as a rejuvenated player. He has shown glimpses of vintage Kohli in the Asia Cup 2022, and has unarguably been their standout batter.
Rahane has been out of Test cricket for a few months now after being dropped for the home series against Sri Lanka.
He got a complete break from the game, albeit a forced one, due to a hamstring injury. The fact, though, remains that he has got to spend time away from the intense environment. The selectors might just want to see if the rest has had a positive impact on his game.
#3 Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari are yet to prove themselves
Another reason why Rahane might get one last shot at reviving his Test career is because Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari have not grabbed their chances to the extent that they should have.
There was criticism over Vihari not getting enough opportunities despite his decent record in Test cricket. However, he has failed to convert starts in the four Tests that he has played since the start of 2022.
The right-handed batter has registered scores of 20, 40*, 58, 31, 35, 20 and 11 in his last seven Test knocks. After 16 Tests, Vihari has scored 839 runs at an average of 33.56 - not very impressive numbers.
Ajinkya Rahane scored fifty from 63 balls in the Duleep Trophy match, this is his return after injury.
Shreyas’ short Test career makes for impressive reading. In five matches, he has smashed 422 runs at an average of 46.88 with one hundred and three fifties. However, he has serious issues against the short ball, not just in Test cricket, but in limited-overs matches as well. His dismissals to bouncers in both innings of the Birmingham Test against England in July were rather embarrassing.
Shreyas and Vihari are still unfinished products, which might just open the door for Rahane to make one last comeback.
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