File image of Ajinkya Rahane©AFP
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer feels incumbent vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will need to consistently score points to stay in the Test reckoning. Rahane, 35, returned to the Indian Test squad this year thanks to an impressive IPL and made a strong impression in the World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this year. However, he has flopped twice with the bat, which has again raised questions about his consistency.
“Rahane will have to show consistency in his game, which has been his problem, even though he has played 80-90 Tests (84). Consistency has been a problem, he will have to overcome it because India has a good captaincy option in him after Rohit Sharma is done.
“Rahane will have to make runs, and then everything else will follow,” Jaffer told media during an interaction hosted by Jio Cinema on Friday.
Jaffer said the Indian selectors see a strong captain option in Rahane.
“If his form was great from that Australian run after that 36 all-out, the way he led, scored a hundred in Melbourne… if his form had stayed the same he would have been the next Test captain. But he lost his form and got dropped,” he said.
“However, he reinvented himself in the IPL and got a chance in the WTC final. He was also named vice-captain, because the Indian selectors see him as a good leader. He still has age on his side, but he has to score points, if he doesn’t, he will have a hard time,” he added.
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