Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull believes veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has passed his prime and his international career is over. Rahane’s ordinary display has raised doubts about his place in the team for the tour of South Africa.
Doull wants the Indian team management to prefer Shreyas Iyer over Rahane.
“It’s a bit like airplane loyalty card points, at some point it’s going to run out. I know Rahane is a champion human being, I know he is a huge part of this setup and part of the leadership group. But players with far better numbers over 29 innings have been dropped from this team.
“I know he has got a good record overseas but his time seems to have passed.”
The 33-year-old Rahane scored 35 and 4 against the Kiwis in Kanpur Test before being ruled out of the second Test in Mumbai.
“He is getting out in a similar fashion and I just don’t know if he is as good a player as he was three or four years ago. When the young guys are coming along and kicking the door down, like they are doing at the moment, they deserve an opportunity.”
Rahane has an average of 24 in the last 29 innings with his overall average falling below 40 for the first time in his career.
“If (Rahane) was averaging 34 or 35 in the last 29 innings with a couple of centuries, I would have said keep him in the squad. But when you are averaging 24 with one century in 29 innings, I just don’t think that’s good enough.
“From the standards that India set, these numbers are well and truly below par and the time has come to bring in a young player. I know it’s a tough introduction, but I think I will run with Shreyas Iyer,” Doull concluded.