Virat Kohli was rested for the 3-match T20I series against New Zealand as well as the first Test match in Kanpur. However, he is now all set to return to the playing XI for the second Test match in Mumbai as captain. In Virat's absence, Ajinkya Rahane was appointed as stand-in captain for the first Test match in Kanpur while Shreyas Iyer was handed Test debut who had a great match with a century and a half-century!
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| Image Credits: Times of India |
With the return of Kohli, Indian team management is now faced with the prospect of dropping a player from the Kanpur Test playing XI! Considering the form of Shreyas, India surely cannot drop him after just one Test match. Moreover, Shreyas became the first Indian player to score a century and a fifty in his debut Test match. However, India should look at other non-performing players to bring back Kohli into the XI.
Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mayank Agarwal are some of those players who might go under the hammer for the Mumbai Test. Rahane had scored memorable centuries in victories at Lord's in 2014 and at MCG in the Boxing Day Test match last year. He also led India to three victories over Australia in Tests. But he is not great with the bat in Tests since Jan 2020 averaging just over 24.39 with the bat.
Rahane was earlier dropped for the first two Tests in South Africa in 2018 but came into the XI for the third Test match and helped India win it comfortably with a solid contribution with the bat and thereby proving his worth. After the first Test match in Kanpur, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid too opined that Rahane is just an innings away from getting a big score against his name.
On the other hand, pacer Ishant Sharma was wicketless in the Kanpur Test match having bowled 22 overs in both innings combined. Whatever may be the reason, India will have to make a tough call for the Mumbai Test.
Author's opinion:
The second Test match will be in Mumbai which is the home ground for Rahane. Despite playing 79 Test matches for India, he is yet to play a Test match for India at his home ground! The confidence that a home venue brings is always at a different level and it wouldn't be wise to drop him.
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