"Feels like he's on a notice period": Aakash Chopra has his say on Ajinkya Rahane's failures

Published at :July 21, 2023 at 7:15 PM

Modified at :July 21, 2023 at 7:15 PM

Aakash Chopra feels that Ajinkya Rahana's position in the team is not cemented despite him being the vice-captain.

Ajinkya Rahane faced yet another failure in the ongoing series as he managed only eight runs in the first innings of the second Test. The visiting side completed Day 1 at 288 for 4 at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli bagged half-centuries on the first day of the Test match. However, Rahane could not make an impact.

Talking about the day and while reviewing it on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra briefly spoke about Rahane's failure. "Ajinkya Rahane - he is the vice-captain of this team for sure but you get the feeling that the notice period is on. It happens with some players and it seems like it is happening with him as well or will happen," he said.

He also recalled how Rahane had got out in a similar fashion earlier as well. "He got an inside edge once earlier as well. Then he got it a second time and the ball hit the stumps. It was a session where India lost four wickets and the run-scoring was slow but in the end, India are in a commanding situation."

"It was a less convincing knock": Aakash Chopra about Gill's performance

Ahead of the Test series, Indian coach Rahul Dravid revealed that Shubman Gill wanted to play at number three. However, the youngster has managed to score just 16 runs in that position. Aakash Chopra also questioned Gill's batting spot.

"Shubman Gill came at No. 3. It neither suited him in the last match nor here and the short knock he played here, it was a less convincing knock. He didn't look in a lot of control and then he gets an outside edge and gets out," he added.

India were 182 for 4 when Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja joined hands during the final session of the day. Rahane's wicket was the last one to fall on the day as Kohli-Jadeja notched up an unbeaten 106 runs partnership for the fifth wicket. They helped the team to complete the day at 288 for 4.