Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria feels that the time has come for Indian cricket to look beyond Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.
The Indian middle-order batter has managed only one half-century in the series against England. On Thursday, he registered yet another failure in the first innings of the Oval Test. Rahane was dismissed for 14 off 47 deliveries, edging Craig Overton behind the wickets.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaneria opined that Rahane has been given a long enough rope. He questioned why the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Hanuma Vihari were not getting a chance. Kaneria stated:
“India’s middle-order collapsed again. Ajinkya Rahane has been a total flop in this series. I think, now the time has come for India to really think about Ajinkya Rahane. Not only Rahane, India’s overall batting is in poor form.”
He added:
“I don’t know why Suryakumar Yadav and Hanuma Vihari are not being given a chance in the playing XI. Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw were called up to the Indian team in England from Sri Lanka. Everyone has seen how Rahane is struggling. As for Suryakumar Yadav, he looks like some one who is capable of scoring runs in all conditions. He could have been given a chance according to me.”
