Former India batsman VVS Laxman wants Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane to show more commitment with the bat when they take on England in the second Test in Chennai from February 13.
Rohit and Rahane failed to fire in both innings and got out cheaply. Rohit scored 6 and 12 while Rahane managed 1 and 0 as India lost the Test match by 227 runs to concede a 1-0 series lead to England.
Rohit played a couple of important knocks at the top of the order this year in Australia whereas Rahane has been woefully out-of-form ever since his match-winning hundred in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in December, 2020.
“I want to see commitment from Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane in the next match, that they should win or save the match,” said Laxman on Star Sports.
Test vice-captain Rahane has been facing the heat ever since the defeat with questions being asked about his inconsistent form despite him being the third-most senior batsmen in the squad after Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Laxman was also disappointed to see the lack of fight shown by Rahane, especially in the second innings when he was castled by a reverse-swinging delivery from James Anderson.
“The way Ajinkya Rahane got out in the second innings, I didn’t feel he was ready for the fight.
“It was known that Anderson will be reversing the ball; you can get out to a good ball, but if your footwork is not correct, and you don’t come into the right position, that too at the start of the innings, it makes you feel sad. So, the way Ajinkya Rahane got out, he will be disappointed.
The second Test match will be played at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai from February 13.
