Indian think tank is doing grave injustice to Ajinkya Rahane: Dilip Vengsarkar

It would not be entirely wrong to say that Ajinkya Rahane has become a forgotten man as far as his place in India’s limited-overs team is concerned. The Test vice-captain last played an ODI in February 2018, when captain Virat Kohli said the team management was looking at him as a prospective No. 4 but has been out of favour since that tour of South Africa. Since then India have tried out the likes of Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu and most recently KL Rahul but Rahane is not even close to getting a recall.

With the upcoming fifth ODI against Australia in Delhi being India’s last international game before the World Cup, Rahane’s chances of making it to the tournament are as good as over. He can prove a point in the upcoming Indian Premier League but it is unlikely to make much of a difference as India skipper Virat Kohli has already cleared that IPL performance would not impact the World Cup selection.

And with Rahane clearly not looking in the scheme of things at the moment, former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar reckons that the think tank is doing a grave injustice to the Mumbai star. Vengsarkar said the right-hander should have been picked for the ongoing five-match ODI Australia series.

“I feel by ignoring talented and experienced Ajinkya Rahane, the Indian think tank is doing a grave injustice to him. He is a proven batsman in the English conditions and an outstanding fielder too,” Vengsakar, a former chairman of selectors, told Mumbai Mirror on Tuesday.

The legendary batsman said that Rahane would be the apt choice for the position, insisting that he could give the fragile middle-order the much-needed solidarity. “He (Ajinkya) will give the middle order the much-needed solidity besides the option as an opening batsman too as he has the experience of opening and also batting at No 4,” he said.

R Ashwin unfortunate:

Vengsarkar also spared a thought for senior spinner R Ashwin who has fallen down the pecking order since the emergence of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. Ashwin has not played since the tour of Caribbeans in mid-2017 and is unlikely to return to the ODI or the T20I teams any time soon.

“They have decided on Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal as spinners. That rules out R Ashwin completely. I feel it is unfortunate because he is a class spinner and he will be more than handy in the English conditions,” said Vengsarkar.

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