5 Indian cricketers who could use India-Australia series to make it to the World T20

#3 Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane has been instrumental for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL over the years

With Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being certainties in the batting order, India’s best Test batsman in the last couple of years is still fighting for a spot in the shorter formats of the game. Rahane has been Rajasthan Royals’ best batsman over the years, finishing 2015 IPL as the second highest run-getter, with 540 runs in 13 innings at an incredible average of 49. His strike-rate of 130.75 is equally impressive for an opener who produced the best average of the top 50 run-getters at the IPL 2015.

Rahane is classy and elegant and in Australia, his style of play will be more rewarding than blind slogging. He can score runs on either side of the wicket, against quick and short bowling. The 27-year-old will be of greater use to the Indian team outside the sub-continent than in here as far as shorter formats of the game are concerned.

Nevertheless, he can be a bedrock when needed especially if Suresh Raina starts firing at No.5. Rahane isn’t exactly a certainty but he is in great form and if he can get the runs in at least one T20I, he is likely to earn a place in the playing XI in World T20, despite our inclination for firepower. However, there are just two spots to share between Rahane, Raina, Yuvraj and Pandya, especially if Jadeja plays all the games. That will be a tricky call for Dhoni to make.