Former India Opener Feels Ajinkya Rahane’s Place In XI Doubtful After KL Rahul Named India Vice-Captain For South Africa Tests

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra feels veteran Ajinkya Rahane “might find it difficult” to keep his place in India’s XI in the series-opening Boxing Day Test match against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion starting on December 26. Chopra’s comments came after the BCCI announced KL Rahul as India’s vice-captain for the three-match Test series in South Africa following Rohit Sharma’s injury. The latter was ruled out of the Test series with a hamstring injury and was replaced in the squad with India A captain Priyank Panchal.

Rahane had been replaced as India’s full-time Test vice-captain by Rohit earlier this month.

Highlighting the fact that Rahane, who was captaining India in the first Test against New Zealand, barely a few weeks ago in regular captain Virat Kohli’s absence, is not even the second-choice vice-captain now, Chopra said “things are changing in Indian cricket”.

“KL Rahul has been appointed as India’s Test vice-captain (for the South Africa series as Rohit Sharma is injured. Rahul Dravid is the coach, Rohit is the captain of white-ball formats. I think Rahul may be appointed vice-captain in ODIs also…. Ajinkya Rahane might find it difficult to find a place in the XI. He was captain just a couple of Test matches ago but right now he’s not even the vice-captain. Things are changing in Indian cricket,” Chopra said in a video shared on Koo.

Rahane, who captained India in the first Test against New Zealand, is not going through the best of phases as a batter. He missed the second Test match due to an injury. His average in the 16 Test matches that he has played in the last two years is only 24.39 with only one hundred – in Melbourne against Australia – and two fifties.

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It will be interesting to see if he gets a place in the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test match against South Africa as Shreyas Iyer, who had made his debut against New Zealand, did exceedingly well in the opportunities he got.

Meanwhile, the Indian team had its first training session in Centurion on Saturday. India are slated to play three Tests and as many ODIs on the South Africa tour.

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