“I would not give Rahane another innings” - Sanjay Manjrekar after batter’s woes in South Africa

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar feels the time has come to drop Ajinkya Rahane from the Test team after yet another below-par show in South Africa. Manjrekar commented that the senior batter has hardly done anything substantial in recent years to inspire confidence.

The 33-year-old batter was dismissed for just one run on Day 3 of the Cape Town Test on Thursday. He was caught behind off a brilliant delivery from Kagiso Rabada. He managed only nine runs in the first innings. The middle-order batter will end the series with 136 runs in six innings at an average of 22.67.

Speaking after the end of the third day’s play, Manjrekar shared his thoughts on the former Test vice-captain’s batting woes. He told ESPN Cricinfo:

“It’s (his dismissal) a combination of a good delivery and Ajinkya Rahane’s form. He needs to go back and play first-class cricket and hopefully get his mojo back. I would not give Rahane another innings. Pujara has a stronger case in my book. Nothing about Rahane in the last 3-4 years gives me hope that he is coming back into form. There have been glimmers when he got a hundred in Melbourne. But, apart from that, nothing much.”

Sharing his views on the experienced Indian batter’s struggles, Daryll Cullinan added that his lack of footwork has exposed his deficiencies. Backing Manjrekar’s views that his time might be up, he commented:

“Again there was no foot movement. Perhaps he is intimidated by the bounce and the sideways movement. He has occupied that position now (for a long time). He must be on the list."

He added:

"I am not convinced about (Mayank) Agarwal. They are the two (facing the axe), if I was Rahul Dravid, looking at batsmen to play abroad. If he’s honest with himself, he might be thinking it’s the end of the road (for Rahane). There’s some young exciting talent which now deserves a run.”

While Rahane scored only one 50 in the series, Agarwal made 135 runs at an average of 22.50 with a best of 60.

“India battled with bounce and the lateral movement” - Daryll Cullinan on why the likes of Rahane have failed

The only two centuries in the Test series so far have come from the blades of Indian batters KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. But the visitors have struggled to deal with the challenging conditions as a unit.

Analyzing India’s batting woes, which could end up costing them yet another away series, Cullinan explained:

“India battled with bounce and the lateral movement, not so much with the pace. That has been their undoing in this series. Not enough of them have stood up and shown the technique to be able to cope with it. There have been too many Indian batsmen, who haven’t even been able to occupy the crease.”

Pant scored a magnificent century on Thursday. However, India folded up for 198 in their second innings, setting the Proteas a target of 212. The hosts need 111 runs with eight wickets in hand on Day 4 to claim the Test and the series.