There is something left in Pujara but Rahane is out of my plans if I were the selector: Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar was quite critical of Ajinkya Rahane and felt that the latter should not have been in the Test team since 2017. Rahane and Pujara had a dismal series in South Africa scoring just 136 and 124 runs respectively in the 6 innings and are likely to lose their places for the upcoming home Tests against Sri Lanka. The duo has been going through a rough patch for the last two years and Rahane lost his vice-captaincy post ahead of the South Africa tour.

With Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari in the reckonings now, it will be tough for the experienced campaigners to get another go and the experts have felt that the two should play domestic cricket to get back their form. Rahane especially after the Melbourne century in 2020 has been under huge pressure as he has been very inconsistent with just two fifties in 2021. India lost the Test series 1-2 to South Africa and it will not help their places.

Rahane somewhere has shown that he is a little unsure: Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar noted that the Cape Town Test should be the last innings for Rahane in Tests and he should not get another chance until he gets sure. He compared Rahane to the likes of Kohli who is another batter struggling to score centuries but has been batting really well and highlighted that the Mumbaikar needs to get out of his shelf.

“If I am saying that it is Rahane’s last match (3rd Test vs South Africa in Cape Town), people should not wonder why I am saying that. I am sure you say the same thing privately, and the others. It’s not about runs but also how someone looks in the field. It’s from 2017 that Ajinkya Rahane somewhere has shown that he is a little unsure.”

“You can see it in the way he bats, the way he gets out. That’s another thing that gives an indication about a player’s game. For example, Virat Kohli is not getting a hundred but he is still putting out the 70s and there is great value in having Virat Kohli before he discovers form. So Rahane for me is clearly somebody that has a shelf life that is over,” Manjrekar told in an exclusive chat with News 18

Manjrekar also pointed out that Pujara still has a lifeline because of the way he has been batting and should get another opportunity to complete his 100 Tests. He added that Rahane would have been out of the team two years back if he was the selector.

“Pujara is interesting, he’s coming close to 100 Test matches. It will need a very unemotional selector to leave him out. And I personally have more time for Pujara than Rahane. This is from observing the way they bat. No other reason. I feel there is something left in Pujara, but Rahane, if I would have been the selector, would have been out of my plans two years back,” he added