Selectors should tell Rahane and Rahul that they can bat anywhere: Sunil Gavaskar

After the success in the final Test of the 3-Test match series, India will take the momentum of the win in the 6-match ODI series. As the number 2 side in the world is set to take on the number 1 side South Africa, former Indian opener and commentator Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the role of Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul in the side. India’s team selection in the first two Tests of the series was heavily criticized when vice-captain Rahane was dropped from the side while Bhuvneshvar Kumar was dropped from the second Test after performing brilliantly in the first game.

Gavaskar in a column written for news-daily Times of India said that Ajinkya Rahane proved the saying that “‘form is temporary but class is permanent.” Notably, vice-captain of the side Rahane was ignored for the first Two Tests of the side based on his form in previous matches where the right-hander had struggled to score runs. Although 29-year-old played a brilliant knock in the second innings of the third game.

Dropping players on the basis of one performance wrong: Gavaskar

He also said in the piece that one the basis of one performance, the players should not be dropped from the side. As per Gavaskar, the analogy of players being unable to perform on different pitches should not be considered and should be thrown out of the window.

Gavaskar in the piece said that the selectors need to show confidence in the side and should let the players know that they should be ready to play at any position in the XI. Earlier, Ajnikya Rahane has been termed as the opener of the side and hence when Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma returns to the side, the Mumbai-born finds himself sitting in the dressing room. While KL Rahul, who opens the innings for India in Tests plays in the middle-order for the side in the T20Is. As per Gavaskar, this is where there is confusion. Rahul opens in Tests but bats in the middle order in T20s then why can’t Rahane fit in the one-dayers as a middle-order batter.

South Africa though received an early blow with their star player AB de Villiers getting ruled out of the first 3 games of the series with a finger injury. With De Villiers missing, India would sense the opportunity of grabbing the ODI series after their 2-1 loss in the Test series.

Here’s the SRH full squad