Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has given his verdict on India’s underperforming veteran batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. While there has been a lot of criticism surrounding the two batters, Gavaskar has said that they have one more innings “to save their Test careers”.
"After those two dismissals one can say that they probably have just the next innings, both Pujara and Rahane, to save their Test careers," Gavaskar said while commentating.
"There have been questions asked about their place in the team and now with these two dismissals they have just one innings left. If there is another innings and the way India is going, it looks like there will be another for them to score something and maybe keep their place in the team," the former India captain further added.
Pujara was surprised by the extra bounce generated by Duanne Olivier. The point fielder took an easy catch as the batter got out after scoring just three runs. On the very next ball, Rahane got out poking at a delivery outside off stump as the edge carried to the slip fielder.
India’s no.3 batter has scored just 19 runs in three innings on the South Africa tour so far. On the other hand, Rahane who lost his vice-captaincy post before the series has scored 68 runs from three appearances including a crucial 48-run knock in the first innings of the Centurion Test.
As Kohli returns after recovering from upper back spasm for Cape Town Test, it will be interesting to see if Rahane and Pujara retain their spot. With Indian batting lineup struggling in the first innings after KL Rahul won the toss and elected to bat first, it is highly likely that the visitors will bat again if the weather permits.
Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer are expected to replace the veterans if they fail again in the second innings as well. While Vihari replaced an unfit Kohli in the ongoing Test, Iyer was unavailable for selection due to “stomach bug”. Vihari scored three half-centuries against South Africa A last year whereas Iyer made a sensational Test debut scoring a century and a half-century against New Zealand.
