South Africa vs India 2018: 4 reasons why Ajinkya Rahane should replace Rohit Sharma for 2nd Test
There is no denying the fact that Ajinkya Rahane has loads of talent. He has scored runs almost everywhere around the globe and has been hugely impressive for Team India, especially in the Test format.
However, the only issue with the Mumbaikar has been his inconsistency; he has been in and out of the limited-overs side due to this; recently he was even dropped from the Test side for the first Test against South Africa.
Although he has been in poor form in the Test format, he should still be given a chance by the management, ahead of Rohit Sharma.
Here are four reasons which justify Rahane's place in the side ahead of Rohit.
Note: All the stats are accurate as of 7 January 2018.
Performance outside the subcontinent
Rahane is certainly more experienced among the two and has been an integral part of the Indian Test team since his debut in 2013. He has played 43 Test matches, 17 of them being outside the subcontinent; on the contrary, Rohit Sharma has played only 11 (out of 23) matches outside the subcontinent.
Rahane's strong numbers support his inclusion, with his career average of 44 jumping to 55 outside the subcontinent. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma's career average of around 42 drops to a weak 24 outside the subcontinent.
These stats clearly suggest that Rohit has struggled outside the subcontinent while Rahane has taken his game to a higher level.