Ever since the start of the test series between India and South Africa, the Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane debate has been intense. Ajinkya Rahane, the vice-captain of the team has been made to sit out in both the test matches and Rohit Sharma has been preferred over him.
However, Rohit Sharma getting preference ahead of Ajinkya Rahane has not done any good to India as his bat hasn’t contributed in any manner to India and because of the poor show by batsmen, India has already lost the series.
India lost the Cape Town test by 72 runs which were followed by a 135 run defeat at The Centurion. India has already lost the test series after tasting defeat in the first two games of the three-match series. Finally, Ravi Shastri, the head coach of the team has broken his silence upon the issue and has addressed the Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane debate.
Here is what Ravi Shastri said
“When you have choices that would always be the case. if Ajinkya had played and not done well, you would have asked me why is Rohit Sharma not playing. The same would have happened with the fast bowlers. When you have choices the team management discusses what is the best option and they stick by it, they go by it, as simple as that.”
Ravi Shashtri further added, “In India, you don’t need to chop and change because you know what the conditions are. Overseas you have to go on current form and see which player can adapt to certain conditions quicker than the other.”
Now we would have to wait to see if Ajinkya Rahane will get a game in the third test or if India persists with Rohit Sharma. India will also have to make choices between Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik as well as between KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan.