Aakash Chopra believes Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara getting dropped from India’s squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka does not imply the end of the road for the duo.
Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara were given a long rope in India’s Test side despite the two veterans going through a prolonged lean run in the last 2 years. However, their underwhelming performances in the Test series against South Africa proved to be the final nail in the coffin.
Aakash Chopra: It’s Not The End Of The Road For Ajinkya Rahane And Cheteshwar Pujara In Tests
Scoring at an average of just above 20, Ajinkya Rahane managed to fetch just 136 runs from the three Tests in South Africa. Cheteshwar Pujara also scored just one fifty in the South Africa tour which India lost by 1-2 despite winning the very first Test match. The Saurashtra batter scored only 124 in the rubber. The duo struggled for their form in the last year or so.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra did not rule out the possibility of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara staging a comeback in the longest format, saying: “Rahane and Pujara are not there. India have started moving in a slightly different direction. It’s not the end of the road but they are not part of the team as of now. It means they will have to go back to first-class cricket, score runs there and make an attempt to come back.”
However, the former Indian cricketer believes the experienced batters are unlikely to be seen in international cricket in 2022.
Aakash Chopra reasoned: “They will not come back this year, they can come back next year because this year all the series are in India except the one Test in England. So nothing is going to happen there. If you leave out such big players, you don’t bring them back in 15 days.”
Ajinkya Rahane has already scored a century in Mumbai’s first innings of the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2022 match against Saurashtra. However, Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed for a duck in the same encounter.
Aakash Chopra Feels Ishant Sharma And Wriddhiman Saha May Have Played The Final Test After Being Ignored For Sri Lanka Tests
On the flip side, Aakash Chopra reckons that Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha’s non-selection implies the end of the road for the duo.
He elaborated: “Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha – I think that’s the finale. Both of them played a lot of cricket, played very well but when Kona Bharat and Rishabh Pant get selected and Wriddhiman Saha is not, I think that’s it.”
The renowned commentator pointed out that Ishant is unlikely to stage a comeback considering India’s current seam-bowling depth.
Aakash Chopra explained: “The sort of fast bowling group that is getting ready, I think that’s it for Ishant Sharma as well. Both of them have played extremely well, wish you very well. I am not saying they should retire but the Indian team will not look towards them in a hurry. If you might see Pujara and Rahane in a year or so, they will take more time than that.”
Aakash Chopra concluded by highlighting his personal equation with Ishant Sharma. The cricketer-turned-commentator was part of the Delhi team when the lanky pacer made his Ranji debut for the side.
Ishant Sharma, though still 33, has played over 100 Tests for India with 311 wickets. His spot in the team had come under the scanner due to his recent fitness issues and inconsistent performances. On the flip side, Wriddhiman Saha is 37 but has featured in just 40 Tests.
Considered to be among the best wicketkeepers in the world, he has scored over 1300 runs while also plucking 92 catches and affecting 12 stumpings.