"It shouldn't happen" - Aakash Chopra on whether Ajinkya Rahane should get another chance in ODIs and T20Is

Aakash Chopra feels Ajinkya Rahane shouldn't be considered for India's limited-overs sides despite his excellent performances in IPL 2023.

Rahane was recalled to India's Test side for the World Test Championship (WTC) final based on his impressive performances in domestic cricket and for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. He was India's standout batter in the WTC final and has been retained in the Test side for the West Indies tour but was ignored for the ODIs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked whether Rahane should get another chance in ODIs and T20Is, to which he responded:

"Good question but it will not happen and it shouldn't happen either. We recently heard Dada's (Sourav Ganguly) thinking as well, that why was he made the vice-captain and before that, I had also posted a video that you were out for 18 months, made a comeback, did well and suddenly you are the vice-captain of the Indian Test team."

While questioning Rahane's elevation as India's Test vice-captain, the former Indian opener reckons a comeback in ODIs and T20Is is a bridge too far:

"Nothing against Rahane but it shows the thinking or mentality a little that what are you doing. T20Is and ODIs - I think that bus has already left."

Rahane has aggregated 3337 runs in the 110 limited-overs internationals he has played. He last played an international white-ball game in February 2018 and is unlikely to be in the Men in Blue's scheme of things currently.

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"Where did Ajinkya Rahane score runs in the IPL?" - Aakash Chopra on the CSK batter excelling primarily on good surfaces and in the powerplay

Ajinkya Rahane showed a different facet of his game in the IPL. [P/C: iplt20.com]

While acknowledging that Rahane excelled in IPL 2023, Aakash Chopra highlighted that it was primarily in favorable batting situations:

"There is no doubt that Ajinkya Rahane scored runs in the IPL but where did Ajinkya Rahane score runs in the IPL? He scored the fastest fifty at one point and then he batted amazingly well at the Eden Gardens but certain surfaces and the powerplay."

The cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by observing that there is no vacant spot in India's batting lineup in white-ball cricket either:

"After that, the form kept on dipping, especially on a slow pitch like Chennai. In any case, I feel you will have to look forward, you cannot turn and go backwards. There is already no place in batting. So Ajinkya Rahane in my opinion - no, sorry Ajju."

Rahane smashed 326 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 172.48 in 11 innings for CSK in IPL 2023. However, the majority of those runs came on batting-friendly surfaces, with his returns also waning as the tournament progressed.