Why India need Rahane against Australia

In a format which worships sheer power and bludgeoning force, Ajinkya Rahane is just too noble a man. Even after being one of the mainstays in both the Test and the ODIs, Rahane is still in the wilderness in the shortest format. As India go head-to-head today against Australia with a virtual knock-out on the offering, the Men in Blue need Ajinkya Rahane at the top of the order.

But, he isn't nearly perfect. Some say he stalls things down, while other say he doesn't have enough gears to up the ante. Although the criticism about Rahane’s game holds some merit, he has shown his talent with a number of innings in the purists' version of the game.

For some, he is a reminder of the classic game of Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman, for others like ex-Aussie captain Steve Waugh, the 27-year old has a compact technique similar to that of fellow Mumbaikar Sachin Tendulkar. The funny thing here is that all three stalwarts weren't suited to the T20 version. It's always fun to tag the players, but it catches up on them more often than not.

Ajinkya's unflashy nature is a major reason why he gets compared to those greats. When the whole team crumbled down to the James Anderson show at the Lords in 2014, his much-needed century just came at the right time, and it surely couldn't have come at a better place. When he perished finally, he got the applause from both sets of fans.

In a batting-friendly format like the T20s, the openers need to produce staggering figures day in day out to stay in the team, if they don't, the doors are always open. Indian team's batting has been the weakest link in this tournament, and it's a surprising sight for everyone to watch Rahane warming the bench. The 27-year old is also a brilliant fielder and will give Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina a run for their money when it comes to the fielding. His eight-catch record against Sri Lanka, back in 2015 will silence any doubters when it comes to his catching.

In the legend's final match, Rahane was the 12th man against West Indies, in a match where not just fans but even cricketers were chanting “Sachin.... Sachin”. Amid all that, Tendulkar told Rahane that, "You may not have noticed, but I have been watching you for a long time. Your attitude, when you are sitting on the bench or serving drinks, has been praiseworthy. Keep up your work ethic and hard work. These have brought you till here; they will take you further ahead”. That sums up his class.

The equation for tomorrow is simple - India need to win if they want to go through. It's hight time for Dhoni to tinker with the “tried and tested” team and drop an under-performing Dhawan. That will pave the way for Rahane, who has been warming the bench for the first three matches in the World T20. In a game of such massive magnitude, the captain needs to play a master-stroke, and this might very well prove to be the one.