"End of long rope; one will have to give way when Virat Kohli returns" - Dinesh Karthik on Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane

Dinesh Karthik believes that one of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane will have to make way if Virat Kohli returns for the final Test against South Africa. The wicketkeeper-batter remarked on Monday that Team India's "long rope" given to the two senior middle-order batters has burnt slowly and is now nearing its end.

Pujara and Rahane failed once again, scoring 3 (33) and 0 (1) respectively on Day 1 of the second Test in Johannesburg. While Rahane has been under immense pressure since getting stripped of his vice-captaincy, Pujara completed three years without a hundred on Monday, thus getting under the scanner more than ever.

Speaking to Cricbuzz after the day's play, Karthik said:

"At No. 3 in inarguably the world's best cricket team, to find a spot there for three years and not score a hundred - he (Pujara) will know he's got a long, long rope. To a large extent they are playing because of the potential they have, and the performances they have shown, and obviously, they are senior statesmen [in the team] as well. But the long rope they have been given is slowly burning out and you are coming to the end of it. I am very, very sure that they are both aware of it. Also, we have got to see the potential of the players at the back, they have done as well. Now if Virat Kohli returns, you get a feeling that one of the two has to give way."

Karthik feels that despite being just three-Test-old in his role, head coach Rahul Dravid won't hesitate in making the "harsh decisions" on Pujara and Rahane. He said Dravid must have tried to contribute to their careers initially but will now have to accept that "it isn't meant to be". Karthik added:

"When Rahul Dravid was at the fag end of his career, it was actually Pujara who came in and did well at that No. 3 spot, put pressure on him to eventually take his spot... Obviously, that circle comes around... I do think Rahul Dravid will have to make a couple of harsh decisions and if that means dropping one or both of them, he'll be open to it because he knows that they have been given a long rope before... You don't want to set the ground ablaze by making the big decisions right at the outset so I think he's waiting and trying to assess what he can contribute to their careers and if it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be."

To be fair, only two Indian batters crossed 30 on Monday in the team's total first innings score of 202 in tough batting conditions at the Wanderers. But the fact that Pujara failed to build on his 33-ball start and Rahane again got out playing a needless stroke called upon specific criticism.

Shaun Pollock bats for making "decision" on Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane ahead of West Indies series

Speaking in the same video, former Proteas pacer Shaun Pollock said India could make the "decision" on Pujara and Rahane before their next series against West Indies and Bangladesh, to give time for youngsters to settle in. He argued:

"That's sometimes the time, in many ways, to make a decision. Not before a big, tough series but it can be just a period where you make a call and say, 'You guys come in and we give you not as highly ranked opponents as Australia or England' to just settle themselves so they are ready to go for a big series. It could be interesting times."

South Africa went to stumps at 35/1, 167 runs behind India's total. Play will resume at 1:30 IST in Johannesburg.