Robin Uthappa Backs Ajinkya Rahane Ahead of India's Away Season

Discarded Indian batsman Robin Uthappa who attended the Dr. Dayal Foundation annual award ceremony came in support of out of favour Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane has been struggling to find some form and has not been able to be amongst the runs. According to the management, Rahane will only fit in the Test set up and will play in the ODI’s only as an opener. Rahane who has performed well on away tours has struggled in the ongoing home season.

Rahane has scored just 17 runs his last five innings for the Indian team and has only scored one Test and one ODI century in the year 2017. The last Test hundred came against Sri Lanka in August. His last Test century came eight innings ago, and since then he has scored just 34 runs.

Robin Uthappa who attended the Dr. Dayal Foundation annual came in support of the Mumbaikar who is going through a rough patch:

 ”There comes a bad patch in every cricketer’s career, even the great Sunil Gavaskar went through it. It can happen to any cricketer. The sooner his lean patch ends its better for Indian cricket. I suppose he should just keep playing. I am sure the selectors have enough faith (in him), which is why they are continuing with him. I wish him to get back to his form very soon and score lots of runs.”       

Former Indian skipper Ajit Wadekar who was presented the Dr Rameshwar Dayal Lifetime Achievement Award at the event hailed India’s stand-in captain Rohit Sharma, who recently scored his record third ODI double ton:

 “Rohit is certainly a damn good player and I expect him to do well in South Africa,” he said.Asked about the change ODI cricket has undergone since his days, when 200 was considered a challenging total. You have to move with time, also with the crowd’s demands. Cricket can’t survive without entertaining the crowd. Also the wickets are getting much better these days while the (bowling) attack of teams is getting very much stereotyped for which it becomes easier for the batsmen.”