"Hope the outside noise is not playing on the minds of Pujara and Rahane" - VVS Laxman
Former India batter VVS Laxman believes both Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are feeling the pressure of constant failures.
Both Rahane and Pujara have been under the scanner over the past few months due to their under-par displays. Their performances in the first innings of the ongoing Test against England have only added to the pressure on their shoulders. While Pujara fell for nine off 23 on Day 1, Rahane perished off the first ball he faced on Day 2.
Analysing the woes of the two senior batters, Laxman told ESPN Cricinfo:
“I just hope the outside noise is not playing on the minds of Pujara and Rahane. People think that experienced players can handle that pressure. With experience, I can say that probably the pressure in a lot more on experienced players. Every low score and failure will just add to that pressure.”
Asked to specify what he thinks is going wrong with Rahane, the former middle-order bat stressed that it was a mix of technical issues and eagerness to score.
“We saw that even in Nottingham in the first innings, the way he was restless till the time he was there at the crease and then he got run-out," Laxman said. "There was a missed run-out chance even before that. Even today, you saw very tentative footwork.
"Whenever you are indecisive and and trying to look at the outcome, you are always reaching out towards the ball, especially when you are not high on confidence. That is exactly what has happened in Rahane’s case.”
“I think both Rahane and Pujara will be disappointed that they are repeating the same mistakes, which have led to their dismissals over the last six to eight months.”
Rahane’s tentative body language at the start of a series is surprising: VVS Laxman
Laxman also expressed his surprise at Rahane’s tentative body language in the first two Tests against England. According to Laxman, Rahane needed to approach the series with a fresh mindset and not carry the baggage of the past.
“If one has got a string of low scores, I can understand him having this kind of body language in the fourth or fifth Test. But at the start of the series, you don’t expect someone to be so tentative, like Rahane has been in Nottingham and today. That doesn’t do justice to the kind of talent and experience he has," Laxman said.
“In 2014, at this very same ground when the situation was terrible, he went on to score a brilliant hundred. Recently, when India won in Melbourne, it was Rahane who captained the side brilliantly and got that match-winning hundred. He’s got runs in South Africa on minefields. Somewhere deep down the pressure of not translating that potential into performance is letting him down."
Resuming on 276 for three, India lost KL Rahul after he had added just two more runs to his overnight score of 127. The visitors folded for 364 as James Anderson claimed yet another five-wicket haul.