IND vs NZ | Ajinkya Rahane’s extra movement with hands causing his downfall, observes Dilip Vengsarkar
Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar says Indian Test squad regular Ajinkya Rahane is making an extra movement with his hands while batting leading to his repetitive failure in the longest format ahead of the New Zealand tour. Veteran adds that shot selection is very important in Test format.
Clearly, Ajinkya Rahane is a shadow of the player he was in the 2013-14 season - India's best batsman in overseas conditions, who slammed hundreds at Wellington, Lord's and the MCG. Rahane's over-attacking approach in his last innings has not impressed many and did seem to be working for the Mumbai cricketer as well. Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar said Ajinkya Rahane is making an extra movement with his hands while batting and he should look after that.
"He's making an extra movement with his hands while batting. He's moving his bat too much in his backlift. He's a fraction of a second late on to the ball. It explains why his head isn't still when the ball is delivered. You need to leave the short balls alone. They were bowling short-pitched stuff on a green top. Your shot selection becomes very important in such a case. You've to show a lot of patience and guts," expressed Vengsarkar, reported Times Of India.
Rahane being too defensive in recent times has also contributed to his downfall. In a Ranji Trophy game last year he scratched around for 54 balls, managing to score just eight before the Railways seamers ended his plight on a greenish wicket at the Wankhede. India's 1983 World Cup hero, Sandeep Patil, offers a scathing view of Rahane's recent struggles, blaming them, like Jaffer, squarely on his ultra-defensive approach.
"I heard about this (batting slowly) when he was playing for Mumbai this season. This happens due to fear of failure. He has led India, he's got a tremendous overseas record, but all that's history. Now that he's been labelled only as a Test player, been out of the India's limited overs team, human nature is such that one wants to establish himself as a Test specialist. He's trying to prove a point," suggested Patil.
Rahane seems to be spending time on the crease trying to showcase his technical correctness but is struggling to get runs. Patil was of the opinion that an ordinary player like him survived on foreign soil then these players are champions.
"By doing that, you try to show that 'I'll be technically correct. I'll try to occupy the crease. If you want to just 'occupy,' you can call a security guard! Who'll score the runs? I'm not saying throw your bat around. However, when you've so many hundreds behind you, this approach is not acceptable. An ordinary player like me survived on foreign soil, these players are champions," opined Patil.