Team India head coach Rahul Dravid has not shut the door on Ajinkya Rahane's chances of playing for the country even after the conclusion of the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final. Rahane, who was recalled to the Indian squad for WTC final on the back of a stellar performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, replaced injured Shreyas Iyer in the team for the marquee one-off Test against Australia.
Speaking to the reporters, Dravid was thrilled with the return of Rahane as he brings a ton of experience, especially in overseas conditions.
"Firstly, it's good to have him. We have had a few injuries which probably led to him having the opportunity to come back into the squad. Great for us to have someone of his quality. He brings a lot of that experience, he brings proven performance in overseas conditions, even in England, he has played some terrific innings for us. He brings terrific catching in the slips. He just brings his personality to the group, which is really important. He has led the team and has had considerable success. It's just great to have someone like him around here," Dravid told the media ahead of WTC final.
When Rahane was dropped from the Indian Test side, it opened the doors for young batters to stake a claim. Shreyas Iyer cashed in on the opportunity with both hands and became an important member of the side. Iyer is currently recovering from a back injury and once he regains full fitness, one would expect him to return to India's Test side. In that case, Iyer will most likely replace Rahane on the team. But, in sports, nothing is certain.
Commentating on whether the WTC final will likely be Rahane's last hurrah with the national team, Dravid stated that nothing is certain.
"You don't want him to approach this as just a one-off. Sometimes, you get dropped from teams and you make a comeback and you come back and play for as long as you are playing well and as long as your performing. It's not written in stone that you only get one match. If he puts in a good performance and shows what he has got, who knows, even when people come back from injury, you never know what can happen," Dravid said.
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