India need to revert back to KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane after eye-opener at Newlands

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  • Rahul and Rahane were not picked for the first Test.

    The Newlands Test defeat to South Africa was the 33rd match for Virat Kohli as skipper of the Indian team.

    Since taking over the reins in 2014, his tenure has been one of the most successful for India with a win percentage of over 60.

    What is also interesting is that at no point during his time as skipper have India played the same XI in successive Tests. One would think that the No.1 team in the five-day format would have a settled line-up but that has not been the case.

    Kohli and the team management have a horses for courses policy. Current form counts for a lot in the skipper’s books and it is for this reason India picked Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan instead of Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul at Newlands.

    According to Kohli, Dhawan was preferred also to maintain the left hand-right hand combination while Sharma’s current form –an ODI double ton and a T20 century at home against Sri Lanka – saw him get the nod ahead of Rahane who is one of India’s most consistent batsman overseas.

    Sharma has struggled overseas in his career so far.

    Sharma has struggled overseas in his career so far.

    While there is no denying that Rahane struggled at home against Sri Lanka where he could not buy a run to save his life, the fact is his overseas average (53.44) is more than double of Sharma’s 25.11.

    While Rahane has been a crucial part of the side during their rise to the top of the ICC rankings, Sharma has flittered in and out of the side, finding favour in home conditions.

    Sharma had a terrific last year in the limited-overs format but his temperament and style have always been ill-suited for the red-ball game. Plundering runs against a struggling Sri Lankan team at home should never have been used as a yardstick for picking him over Rahane, who made his name after scoring centuries in England, Australia and New Zealand.

    In the openers’ carousel for India, it was Rahul who lost out to Dhawan at Cape Town.

    Dhawan has not been able to overcome his frailties against the short-ball.

    Dhawan has not been able to overcome his frailties against the short-ball.

    Dhawan’s strong form in 2017 – where he scored two Test and three ODI tons – was also the reason behind him winning a place over a man who scored seven consecutive 50s in 2017.

    Dhawan averages slightly more overseas (43.7) than at home (40.2) but three of his five away Test tons have come against Sri Lanka.

    His weakness against the short-ball is no secret and it did not come as a surprise when the left-hander succumbed twice to the bouncer at Newlands.

    Rahul’s technique seems to be more suited for South African conditions and although Dhawan does possess the ability to destroy a bowling attack, it is hard to see him do it against the likes of Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel in their own backyard.

    Kohli has never been shy of making bold selections, many of which have worked, but in this gruelling tour of South Africa where the techniques of India’s batsmen are being tested to the hilt, he may need to go old school.

    India’s batting-card was as sixes and sevens against the seaming ball at Newlands and it took a gem of a counter-attacking innings from Hardik Pandya to give it some degree of respectability.

    There will be further minefields laid out for the visitors in the remaining two Tests and it is important that they bring out their sharpest weapons to the fight.

    Rahul and Rahane might just be what the Indian team need.

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