Kapil Dev Criticises Ajinkya Rahane For Poor Show In New Zealand

Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are two of the most dependable batsmen for Team India in overseas conditions. However, the duo failed to deliver to their potential in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand.

Ahead of the New Zealand Test series, Rahane had played decent knocks in first-class cricket, but failed to replicate in overseas conditions. His declining form saw him register the scores of 46, 29, 7 and 9 in the series.

Ajinkya Rahane did not look like the same player: Kapil Dev

India’s first-ever World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev was hurt, by his own admission, with Ajinkya Rahane’s performance in New Zealand. He believes Rahane and Pujara are experienced and the former should in particular have done well.

“Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are the experienced ones. I would say Rahane’s performance hurt more,” Kapil Dev was quoted as saying by ABP News. “The way he got out, it didn’t seem like he’s the same player who has scored out of his skin in overseas conditions.”

“The way he struggled here, it seemed like the New Zealand bowlers knew how to trap him. Now Ajinkya Rahane has to do a lot of work because when your reputation goes, it take s a lot of time to comeback,” he added.

Ajinkya Rahane Test record 

Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane is known for playing composed innings in the longest format, regardless the conditions. He has amassed 4203 runs in the format at an average of 42.88. He has the high score of 188 runs and hit 11 centuries and 22 half-centuries in this format.

Even in the first-class format, Ajinkya Rahane has done well. The Mumbai batsman has scored 10881 runs in the format at an average of 49.23. He has also hit 33 centuries and 49 half-centuries in this format, with the high score of an unbeaten 265 to his name.