5 players who can replace Ajinkya Rahane at number five position

The Indian Test team had a splendid 2021 cricketing season. Under Kohli’s captainship, the team has been performing dominantly. As they grow in stature, there have been few questions being raised on Ajinkya Rahane’s position. Rahane was the leader of the side when India won the Border Gavaskar trophy during the 2020-2021 season. He handled his limited resources excellently and was someone who led from the front. However, things are looking a bit bleak for Rahane. Because of his poor performances, the fans and critics have been consistently criticizing him. His average has dropped significantly and there are many contenders to replace him. Let us have a look at- 5 players who can replace Ajinkya Rahane at the number five 1. Hanuma Vihari Hanuma Vihari. (Photo Source: Twitter) “Classic” is the term that best suits Hanuma Vihari. The batter from the South has a temperament made of steel and has been a proven performer for Team India. Without any doubt, he deserves the number five position, more than Rahane and Iyer. During the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2018-2019, Vihari opened up the innings for the side. He occupied the crease for a decent amount of time and helped Mayank to set the stage for the middle-order batsmen. Later on, in 2021, he battled injuries to help India pull off a famous escape at Sydney. Vihari has scored 21 centuries in First-Class cricket and has an average of 55.50. In the Test match as well, he has a decent average of 34.20. The more chances he gets, the better batter he becomes. His contributions enable him to become the best batter for the number five position. 2. Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer. (Photo Source: BCCI) There has been no doubt about Shreyas Iyer’s ability to make things happen. Every time he has got a chance, he has cashed in. The best example of his ability is his debut century against New Zealand during the home series in November. Iyer is a technically sound batter and arguably one of the best choices to replace Rahane. Iyer has played two Test matches and has scored 202 runs. With a solid average of 50.50, he is well set to become one of the regular members of the Test side. In First-Class cricket, Iyer has scored 4794 runs with an average of 52.10. He has 13 centuries to his name in First-Class cricket as well. It is now up to the team management if they decide to choose Iyer or the number one replacement Vihari. 3. Suryakumar Yadav Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo by Sattish Bate/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) If Rahane has been struggling as of late, one of the main reasons is his lack of concentration on regular occasions. Well, if the team needs someone to play an attacking kind of cricket, they have a perfect replacement in the form of Suryakumar Yadav. His fearlessness is a thing of beauty. Suryakumar Yadav has a solid average of 44.01 in List A cricket. During recent years, he has been so effective that he received a call-up during the tour to England. He can dominate any bowling attack on his day. Adding on, he can rotate the strike and play cautiously which is an important skill in the toughest format of the game. When required, he can accelerate with ease and take the game away from the opposition. Currently, he is one of the finest fielders in the nation as well. 4. Shubman Gill Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: Getty Images) As the prodigy is recovering from an injury, he might hold the key to the management’s search for Rahane’s replacement. Shubman Gill is one of the finest players in the domestic circuit and he has been making a mark on the international stage as well. Gill has a solid temperament which makes him a difficult batter to bowl to. In 10 Test matches, Gill has scored 558 runs with an average of 32.82. Adding on, he has scored four half-centuries as well. He has been a great contributor at the top and it makes no sense to drop him because KL Rahul has evolved as a great Test match opener. Apart from his batting skills, Gill is an excellent fielder as well. He has a safe pair of hands and rarely lets the bowler down. As he is young, he could be the horse for the marathon for Team India. 5. Srikar Bharat Srikar Bharat. (Photo Source: Twitter) Rarely there have been two wicketkeepers in the playing eleven for Team India. Well, the management might pull up a surprise from the hat by including KS Bharat. The technically sound keeper could be a great addition to the national side. He has a decent amount of experience under his name. In 56 matches, Bharat has scored 1721 runs with the highest score of 161. Adding on, he can hold on to one end of the innings as well. Bharat could be the backup keeper just like Bairstow is for Jos in the English side. Adding on, he is an excellent fielder as well. This makes him one of the decent choices for Rahane’s replacement.

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5 players who can replace Ajinkya Rahane at number five position

Rahane has been enduring a lean patch for a long time now.

2. Shreyas Iyer

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