Kochi: The 32-year-old Ajinkya Rahane’s fate seems to have been sealed to act as a stand-in captain and it is mysterious to find that the selectors fail to recognise his achievements.With Virat Kohli expressing his inability to offer his services in the first test against visiting New Zealand, Rahane has been summoned to step into Kohli’s shoes.
No matter what is the outcome of the match, Rahane would have to struggle to find a place for him in the team that will be led by Kohli in the subsequent matches. This is what happened to Rahane after his outstanding captaincy against Australia last year when he helped India overcome the pangs of merciless defeat suffered at the hands of the Aussies.
The embarrassing eight-wicket defeat in Adelaide Oval, where India scored its historical low score of 36, was won by the hosts in only three days. As planned earlier, Kohli left for home on paternity leave, dumping India to fend for itself. Unable to find a suitable player to fill the gap, the selectors zeroed in on Rahane who had a track record of 100 percent success as a captain in test matches.
He led his boys from the front and presented India series wins in tests and T20 formats. His 112 in the Melbourne test helped in beating the Aussies. Having played 70 odd tests, Rahane is the only Indian to have made back-to-back centuries in a test match against South Africa and the fifth Indian to do it in a test.
Will Rahane repeat the show displayed in Australia to cement his position in the national team in all formats?
