Sanjay Manjrekar has opined that nothing about Ajinkya Rahane in the last 3-4 years gives him hope that the latter is coming back into form. In 25 bilateral Test series since 2020, the South Africa series is his fifth, where Rahane has averaged below 25, scoring only 136 runs from 6 innings.
India are currently playing a three-match Test series against South Africa and the hosts are in a strong position to secure the series victory by winning the ongoing third Test. Batting has been an issue of concern for the Indian team in the ongoing three-match Test series. India middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane has been having a drought for runs in his recent outings in Test cricket.
Rahane could manage to score only 136 runs from 6 innings in the ongoing red-ball series averaging only 22.67. Also, the right-hand batsman has been failing consistently to notch up big scores for the team.
Reflecting on the form of Ajinkya Rahane, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has opined that the right-hand batsman’s form in the last 3-4 years has been disappointing and he should go back to first-class cricket to regain his mojo.
“It’s (his dismissal) a combination of a good delivery and Ajinkya Rahane’s form. He needs to go back and play first-class cricket and hopefully get his mojo back. I would not give Rahane another innings. Pujara has a stronger case in my book. Nothing about Rahane in the last 3-4 years gives me hope that he is coming back into form. There have been glimmers when he got a hundred in Melbourne. But, apart from that, nothing much,” Manjrekar said to ESPNcricinfo.
In the last 25 bilateral Test series Rahane has played since 2020, this is the fifth instance when he has finished a series with an average below 25. Former South African cricketer Daryll Cullinan who was also part of the discussion believes that Ajinkya Rahane and Mayank Agarwal might face the axe ahead of the Test series at home against Sri Lanka in February.
“I am not convinced about (Mayank) Agarwal. They are the two (facing the axe), if I was Rahul Dravid, looking at batsmen to play abroad. If he’s honest with himself, he might be thinking it’s the end of the road (for Rahane). There’s some young exciting talent which now deserves a run,” he said.
