Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh feels that Ajinkya Rahane’s career suffered because of team management’s decision to prepare turning tracks during their home season. It is important to mention that Rahane served as Virat Kohli’s deputy for the longest time, and Rahane even led India to a famous Test series win in Australia in 2020-21, when Virat Kohli returned to India owing to a paternity break.
Ajinkya Rahane last played a Test for India in July 2023 against West Indies. Ever since then, the seasoned India middle-order Test batter has been representing Mumbai in domestic cricket, but the 36-year-old is yet to receive a call-up to the Test side.
As soon as India lost the home Test series against New Zealand on Saturday, several fans on social media started asking for Rahane to be brought back in the Test side as several batters are currently struggling against spin.
“Look at the trend during last decades. We are playing mostly on turners through the last decade with the hope that we will win the toss, score 300 and control the game,” Harbhajan told news agency PTI.
“But we don’t know if we are at the receiving end, if we have the batting to wriggle out on turners. Our batters have lost a lot of confidence playing on these tracks. The biggest example is Ajinkya Rahane, a fine player. His career suffered because of these kind of surfaces,” he added.
Harbhajan Singh also explained how the batters end up losing confidence, when playing on wickets that turn square, right from Day 1 of the Test. “We always get into whataboutery that they (SENA countries) also prepare pitches as per their needs but those aren’t pitches where you can’t even bat. Those pitches go through natural wear and tear over time.”
“Here if you don’t know which one will turn and which one will go straight, you are forever fighting doubts whether to attack or defend. Even Virat Kohli has fared well abroad in last few years where the ball comes onto the bat. Now you have three bad home Tests on these tracks but selectors know that you are a good player and take you on overseas tour, but by then, not having runs under your belt has started playing havoc with your mindset. You also fail in a couple of overseas Tests, and suddenly, you are out of the team. Is that a good thing?” he added.
‘Bring Varun Chakravarthy’
New Zealand defeated India in the second Test by 113 runs to gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. This marks New Zealand’s first Test series win in India and the hosts’ first home Test series loss in 12 years.
In the second Test, India lost a crucial toss and managed only 156 and 245. Mitchell Santner ended up taking 13 wickets in the match.
“If you have had great record at home for so long and if you lose, obviously there will be chatter. Credit to New Zealand for playing the way they did and these were alien conditions and also not a pitch where wear and tear was natural. It was a tailor-made condition for spinners where ball was supposed to turn from first hour,” said Harbhajan.
Speaking further about rank turners, Harbhajan said, “If you prepare rank turners, you don’t play spinners who can turn the ball on flattest of decks. All you need is bowlers who are accurate. Washy (Washington Sundar) and Axar (Patel) can do the job, and you won’t need Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s quality.”
“You had Joe Root getting five wickets here some years back. Bring Varun Chakravarthy, who is a white-ball specialist. He will run through sides,” he added.
