"Ajinkya Rahane should make way for Virat Kohli" - Nikhil Chopra feels it's time to show the senior batter the door after repeated failures
Former India cricketer Nikhil Chopra is of the opinion that team management should consider dropping senior batter Ajinkya Rahane for the Mumbai Test against New Zealand. Regular Test skipper Virat Kohli will return to lead the side for the encounter.
The cricketer-turned-commentator made the remarks while speaking on the YouTube channel Khelneeti. He mentioned that Ajinkya Rahane should face the axe instead of opener Mayank Agarwal for the second and final fixture of the New Zealand Test series.
Highlighting Rahane's underwhelming batting average in recent years, Chopra suggested that the Indian think tank should instead give more opportunities to youngsters and groom them ahead of the upcoming South Africa tour.
Chopra also added that if Agarwal is to be dropped for the forthcoming encounter, then Suryakumar Yadav should be included in the Playing XI ahead of Rahane. He said:
"Instead of dropping Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane should make way for Virat Kohli. Rahane doesn't have a great average and it shows his struggles in recent years. Youngsters should be given a chance to play in India. It is important to give them confidence ahead of an overseas tour. If you are looking to drop Agarwal, then I'd rather pick Suryakumar Yadav for the Mumbai Test."
While Rahane did get a decent start in the first innings of the Kanpur Test, he was dismissed for a single-digit score in the subsequent innings. Apart from the stand-in captain, Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara has also come under the scanner for his ordinary form with the bat.
"I understand Both Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are going through lean phases. But they have played very important Knocks in past. And we are pretty sure they would come back and play more such knocks for the team." - Team India's Batting coach
"It is surprising that Cheteshwar Pujara hasn't scored a century at home in recent years" - Nikhil Chopra
Nikhil Chopra noted that Cheteshwar Pujara's form could be a major concern for India. He pointed out that the right-hander has not been able to reach the three-figure mark in Test matches at home for a while now.
The 33-year-old's last Test century in India came way back in 2017 when he scored a gritty 143 against Sri Lanka in Nagpur. Chopra also questioned the seasoned campaigner's scoring-rate and ability to rotate the strike.
According to Chopra, Pujara playing a lot of dot balls could frustrate batters like Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, as they enjoy taking the strike. Here's what he said:
"Playing at number three in Tests is very important. The selectors need to make a tough call as a lot of chances have been given now. It is surprising that Cheteshwar Pujara hasn't scored a century at home in recent years. Moreover, he plays a lot of balls. Him playing back-to-back maiden overs could frustrate the likes of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer."
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