Ajinkya Rahane reportedly all set to play for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy
What's the story
The 4-1 drubbing that India has suffered against England has left a lot of players bruised and broken, in terms of their performances. While the bowling did click on many occasions, it was the batting that became a huge let down in at least three of the four games that India could have fought harder and won.
Ajinkya Rahane had a moderate outing in the series, but even that was below-par compared to his usual standards. It is now reported that the Mumbai batsman may feature in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy.
In case you didn't know...
Ajinkya Rahane scored 257 runs across 10 innings in the just-concluded England-India series. Two of the ten stints were 50+ scores. Apparently, that was not enough for the player to get a slot into the Indian squad selected to visit the UAE for the Asia Cup, which starts on September 15th.
The details
As mentioned, the batsman has been axed from India's plans in the upcoming Asia Cup, and that might have prompted him to press for as many chances as he may get, ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
And his best bet would definitely be to feature for his domestic side Mumbai, in the upcoming tournaments within the country, which in turn prompts reports that he may feature in the 50-over Vijay Hazare tournament.
It was a source close to The Times of India, that initially hinted at him getting picked for Mumbai. It is essential for Rahane to have more exposure in the 50-over games, if he needed make a case for selection in the World Cup.
"Besides recovering back into form, Rahane would have another reason to play in this tournament despite having just taken part in a grueling series — a few runs here may just help him stay in fray for a spot in India’s team for the World Cup in England next year," the source was quoted as said by TOI.
What's next
All decisions regarding selections into the Mumbai Squad can be known by Monday, 17th September, when the selectors under the leadership of former Indian cricketer Ajit Agarkar will announce the squad.