Ganguly on Rahane as Test vice-captain: ‘I do not perceive the thought course of behind it’
Sourav Ganguly can’t perceive the method behind Ajinkya Rahane getting the Test vice-captaincy after spending almost 18 months on the sidelines. The former India captain has referred to as for “consistency and continuity” within the choice course of.
Rahane, 35, was out of favour for one-and-a-half years however was India’s greatest batter within the World Test Championship final in opposition to Australia earlier this month, with scores of 89 and 46 at The Oval.
Just one Test after he had made a comeback – he performed his earlier Test in January 2022 – the nationwide choice committee headed by interim chief Shiv Sunder Das re-appointed Rahane as Rohit Sharma’s deputy for the West Indies Test sequence.
So was it not splendid to groom somebody like Shubman Gill for the function?
“Yeah I think so,” Ganguly informed PTI throughout an unique interplay from London.
Ganguly instructed that the allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, a certainty in India’s Test XI each residence and away, might have been thought-about for the function.
“I won’t say it’s a step backward,” Ganguly stated. “You have been out for 18 months, then you play a Test and you become a vice-captain. I don’t understand the thought process behind it. There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches, he is a candidate.
“… however to only come again and straightway turn out to be vice-captain after 18 months, I do not perceive. My solely factor is that choice should not be cold and warm. There must be continuity and consistency in choice.”
The Indian selectors have hit the transition button by excluding Cheteshwar Pujara from the squad for the West Indies tour. Ganguly wants the selectors to have clear communication with Pujara, who has played 103 Tests for India, about his future.
“Selectors ought to have a transparent concept about him [Pujara],” Ganguly said. “Do they want him to play Test cricket anymore or do they need to proceed with children, and talk it to him. Somebody like Pujara cannot be dropped, then picked, dropped once more after which picked. Same with Ajinkya Rahane additionally.”
‘I really feel for Sarfaraz Khan’
The alternatives of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad for the West Indies tour suggests the selectors have emphasised IPL performances over these in home cricket, however Ganguly would not imagine that is the case. He hopes, nonetheless that Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who’ve been prolific within the Ranji Trophy over latest seasons, will get their probability too.
“I think Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored tons of runs in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy. I think that’s why he is in the squad,” Ganguly stated. “I feel for Sarfaraz Khan. At some point he should get an opportunity for the amount of runs that he has scored in past three years.
“And identical factor for Abhimanyu Easwaran for the tons of runs he has scored in final 5 to 6 years. I’m stunned that each of them have been omitted however they need to get an opportunity in future. But Yashasvi Jasiwal is an effective choice.”
Ganguly has observed Sarfaraz from close quarters as director of cricket at Delhi Capitals. He rubbished the idea that Sarfaraz has a weakness against fast bowling.
“If you do not play him in opposition to quick bowling, how are you aware?” he asked. “If he had issues he would not have scored so many runs throughout [India]. I personally really feel he has no issues in opposition to quick bowling and he ought to be given a possibility.”