Virat Kohli’s Indian cricket team, 0-1 down in the three-Test series against South Africa.
They are grappling with selection and speculation is high on whether Ajinkya Rahane will be recalled.
If Rohit Sharma is getting a Test nod ahead of vice-captain Ajnkya Rahane based on current form. Then why was that criterion overlooked when captain Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri decided to replace Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Ishant Sharma in the eleven for the second Test against South Africa? That’s the question which left some bemused and some enraged when the India captain revealed his eleven at the toss in Centurion on Saturday.
Virat Kohli wants to win a Test he can’t afford to lose. At the same time he needs to have a serious rethink about a few players who haven’t justified their selection in Cape Town by playing loose shots.
You could say at least one warm-up match before the Test series could have helped India get their combination sorted. You may ask why no one from the playing XI turned up at the optional practice 24 hours after losing a Test within four days.
Someone like Cheteshwar Pujara may have been dismissed first ball after lunch in the first innings of the Cape Town Test, but it was preceded by a calm session where India seemed to set themselves up for a better day.
India’s position in the series should however prompt Kohli to consider all possibilities. Even to the extent of fielding Parthiv Patel instead of Dhawan. To open and keep wicket — and bringing in Rahane at Wriddhiman Saha’s expense.