Ajinyka Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara Might Get Last Chance If Rahul Dravid Asks Selectors - Reports
Senior campaigners Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara might be at the end of the road unless head coach, Rahul Dravid, has a chat with the selectors and ensures they retain their spots.
According to reports suggested by PTI, the selectors might begin trying out new options for the middle-order. Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari are the first choices with the possibility of testing out Shubman Gill in the middle-order.
Both Pujara and Rahane scored a fifty each in the recently concluded 3-match Test series. However, apart from that, they have failed to have any sort of impact on the game. Their mode of dismissals has been similar and the pattern might have finally triggered the selectors to look beyond them.
“I think both Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane will be dropped from the team for the Sri Lanka series” – Sunil Gavaskar
Even former Indian cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar, stated that the duo will not survive the axing. He has been a staunch supporter of Rahane in particular, but after the disappointing outing in South Africa, it is tough to justify his selection in the team with the youngsters knocking on the door.
“I think both Pujara and Rahane will be dropped from the team for the Sri Lanka series. Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari will both play. We’ll have to see who plays at number three.“
“Hanuma Vihari may take Pujara’s place and Shreyas Iyer could be number five in place of Rahane, but we will have to see. Nevertheless, I think there will certainly be two spots up for grabs against Sri Lanka” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Although the duo can still go back to the domestic circuit and work out their technical deficiencies, the kind of bench strength India has might keep them away from the squad.
