"Ajinkya Rahane is pretty fortunate that he's still part of this side" - Gautam Gambhir ahead of IND vs NZ 2021 Test series

Gautam Gambhir has called Indian Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane "pretty fortunate" for being a part of the team for the upcoming series against New Zealand.

The former opener argued that Rahane, despite his poor form of late, has retained his place only because he has to lead in Virat Kohli's absence.

India will play two Tests against the Black Caps, starting on Thursday. Virat Kohli is on a break from international cricket and will miss the first Test in Kanpur. While reports earlier suggested that Rohit Sharma might lead the team here, it was later confirmed that he, too, has asked for a break from the series.

Gautam Gambhir's comments came while picking India's batting lineup for the first Test on the Star Sports show 'Game Plan'. He chose Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul as the openers, and slotted Shubam Gill in at No. 4.

"I am going to open with Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul because he opened in England and then probably Shubman Gill will bat at No. 4.

"That's what I would want to see and plus Rahane is pretty fortunate that he's still part of this side because he's leading... But again he's got another opportunity now, hopefully, he can make that count," Gambhir said.

In his last 15 Tests, Ajinkya Rahane has mustered 644 runs at an average of 24.76. The 33-year-old's struggles have been hard to understand specifically as both spinners and pacers have troubled him equally, dismissing him in a variety of ways.

"Absolutely surprised that they didn't include Hanuma Vihari" - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir also spoke about another contentious issue revolving around the squad selection for the series - Hanuma Vihari's exclusion.

The middle-order batter, despite warming the bench for the last two series, was dropped from the Test team and added to the squad for an India 'A' tour of South Africa, without any explanation from the BCCI and selectors.

Gambhir expressed his surprise at the same, saying he would have been better off playing international cricket than for the India 'A' team. The former Kolkata Knight Riders captain even said he would have sent Shubman Gill ahead of Vihari to South Africa.

Gautam Gambhir concluded:

"I was absolutely surprised that they didn't include Hanuma Vihari who was in the squad for England. What better practice than playing international cricket rather than sending him on an India 'A' tour. He's probably going to be your replacement for Rahane or someone in the middle-order because he's been there for such a long time.

"Just because he's not there in the squad, you'll push Shubman Gill to the middle-order... I would rather have Shubman Gill going to South Africa for the India 'A' tour because then Hanuma Vihari would have played these two matches and then gone to South Africa. It would have been much better."

The first Test will commence at 9:30 AM in the Green Park Stadium.