India vs New Zealand 2021: 3 ways to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane early
Ajinkya Rahane will lead India in the first Test against New Zealand starting Thursday, November 25. The match will take place at the Green Park International Stadium in Kanpur, in the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli.
It hasn't been the greatest of Test runs for Rahane. He has continuously come under scrutiny for his inconsistent performances in the long format. As the skipper. he will be eager to lead with the bat and prove his detractors wrong.
However, he will be up against a quality NZ bowling unit. They know a thing or two when it comes to sending the batter back to the dugout in double-quick time.
And ahead of the first Test, we take a look at three ways Ajinkya Rahane can be dismissed early into his innings.
#1 Rahane's weakness to swing bowling
That Trent Boult has managed to get the better of Ajinkya Rahane in four of eight matches hints at Rahane's weakness to negate swing. This was a major issue in the World Test Championship (WTC), with the vice-captain being dismissed by the left-arm quick.
It may seem like a sigh of relief that Boult isn't part of the series. But the Kiwis have Tim Southee and Neil Wagner, two bowlers who can extract any swing on offer.
#2 More of Southee vs Ajinkya Rahane
Tim Southee has dismissed Ajinkya Rahane four times in Tests. One of the variations in his arsenal is the deceptive, slower off-cutter that has managed to stump the best batters.
Virat Kohli is another Indian batsman who's had his struggles against the Kiwi quick. Like the Indian skipper, Rahane has a tendency to flash his bat a little too early, succumbing to that change in pace. New Zealand will look to introduce Southee early when Rahane walks out to bat.
#3 Introduce pace spells when Rahane bats
Rahane has been dismissed by seamers 11 times when India have played NZ. The quicks have got the better of the Mumbai bat by cramping him for room, surprising him with pace and bounce, and troubling him with swing.
The fact that he was dismissed by Wagner and Boult in the WTC final further proves that theory. Kane Williamson will look to have his quick bowl from both ends when Ajinkya Rahane is at the crease.