'Respect senior players': Ajinkya Rahane's indirect message to Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, wants veterans to stay

Recently-retired Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has reflected on Team India's recent struggles in Test cricket, especially at home. Rahane explained the importance of having senior players in the Test format.

“I still feel Test cricket needs 7-8 senior players and 2-3 younger players. What we are seeing now is that all the players are actually new. There’s hardly any senior cricketer left. So, Test cricket needs that," Rahane said on Stick to Cricket podcast.

The Indian team has seen the exit of several senior players—R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Rahane himself.

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Rahane believes that Test cricket’s survival depends on senior players who deserve the respect. He feels that the lack of senior players in the team has led to India’s slump in Test cricket as they were whitewashed at home by New Zealand and South Africa.

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“Frankly, yes I do (fear for Test cricket). Because the way it is going, we all want Test cricket to survive, Test cricket to be there. India, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa – these 4-5 teams are actually good. Because what I have seen, especially in the last 2-3 years, you need to keep and respect the senior players, especially with the Indian team – all the senior players going out together at once, that’s been the issue," Rahane added.

Rahane was shown the door after India’s tour of West Indies in 2023. Before that, Rahane was dropped as well but Shreyas Iyer’s injury forced them to bring him back for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final. Pujara wasn’t given a proper farewell either. Ashwin hung-up his boots midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Rohit and Kohli were hopeful of playing Test cricket in the ongoing cycle but retired in an abrupt manner before the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 as Shubman Gill was named captain. The manner of senior players’ exit has been a topic of debate as well. Meanwhile, experienced campaigner Mohammed Shami continues to face the selectors’ snub.

Senior players in current Test squad -

In the current Test squad on Sri Lanka tour, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is the seniormost player. He has played 89 Tests. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul are two other players who have played more than 50 Tests. The pace-bowling lineup is inexperienced in injured Jasprit Bumrah's absence. Mohammed Siraj will once again lead the pace attack. Prasidh Krishna has played just seven Tests whereas Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi are yet to make their Test debuts.