Manish Pandey and KL Rahul’s rise
On 2016 India’s tour of Australia Manish Pandey got a chance to play in the fifth ODI of the match. India had already lost the series 4-0 so the final ODI was a matter of formality. Indian batsmen throughout the series batted well but the lack of depth in the middle and lower middle order cost India a chance to add some brisk runs to their score.
But in the final ODI of the series, Pandey grabbed the chance. Australia batting first scored 330. Rohit Sharma was out on 99 while Dhawan scored 78. Kohli had gone for eight. So the onus had come on the shoulders of Manish Pandey. He held his nerve till the end of the match, as a result, India finally tasted a victory in the series. Pandey completed his maiden ODI hundred. Before the Sydney, he had played only two ODIs.
So, Raina’s failure to rectify his own mistake and rise of youngsters in the domestic cricket made Raina’s position in the Indian team vulnerable. Alongside Pandey, Indian batsman KL Rahul also impressed selectors in India’s limited over a tour of Zimbabwe.
Rahul after a good IPL season with Bangalore franchise Royal Challengers was selected for the limited-overs series against Zimbabwe. In the debut match Rahul scored an unbeaten hundred as an opener, in the second match he scored 33 and in the third and final ODI he scored 65 not out.
The Karnataka batsman started his career as a test batsman. In the second match of his career, he scored a hundred against Australia in 2015 Sydney Test. The innings proved his class against the formidable bowling attack. In his five-match career, Rahul scored another hundred against Sri Lanka during 2015 India’s tour.
Initially, he was termed as the Test batsman, but he groomed himself as a decent all formats batsman, so, in near future, the 24-year-old batsman will be a strong contender for a berth in both ODI and Test cricket.
Pandey has an impeccable defense and is comfortable playing fast bowlers, so there is a chance that during the home series in India Pandey will have an edge over Raina in the team as a middle order batsman.
So, captain MS Dhoni’s favorite mate in the team may have to watch India matches seating at home!!!