WTC Final: 3 ways to get Ajinkya Rahane out
Ajinkya Rahane will be a vital cog in India squad for WTC final and New Zealand will be wary of the Indian vice-captain's ability to grind out big runs.
The Mumbai batsman has enjoyed a decent run against the Kiwis in Tests with 600 runs from seven matches at an average of 50. However, Ajinkya Rahane hasn't been in the best of form lately. With just one fifty from his last 11 innings, he will be keen to arrest the run slump. The NZ think-tank will have a look at his dismissal patterns and formulate a strategy to stop him from finding form in this crucial encounter.
Ahead of the upcoming WTC final in Southampton as per WTC final schedule, we take a look at some of the methods the Kiwis could employ to send Rahane back to the dugout early.
#1 Rahane's vulnerability to swing bowling
That Trent Boult has managed to get the better of Rahane thrice in seven matches hints at Rahane's weakness to negate swing, and that might cause him issues during the WTC as well.
With Boult's ability to swing the cherry both ways and add some pace to it, he has a huge chance to peg Rahane on the backfoot and make him work for his runs. He has castled Rahane once and had him edging to the keeper twice.
#2 More of Southee at the WTC
Tim Southee has dismissed Ajinkya Rahane four times in Tests. One of the variations in his arsenal is the slower ball that has managed to fox the best batsmen.
Virat Kohli is another Indian batsman who's had his struggles against the Kiwi quick. Like the Indian skipper, Rahane has a tendency to play his shots a little too early, falling for that dip in pace. New Zealand squad for WTC final will look to introduce Southee early when Rahane walks out to bat.
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#3 Introduce pace spells when Rahane bats
Rahane has been dismissed by pacers nine times when India have played NZ. Being dismissed just thrice while facing spin suggests he is more comfortable and has nimble footwork when it comes to playing the tweakers.
The quicks have got the better of the batsman by cramping him for room, surprising him with pace, and troubling him with swing. One of the options for the Kiwis during the WTC is to have pace from both ends when Rahane bats.