Is Ajinkya Rahane's selection in the Indian squad for ICC WTC final justified ?

Ajinkya Rahane made a comeback in the Indian test setup after over more than a year.

After losing the World Test Championship final in 2021, Team India will be eyeing their maiden title right after the IPL 2023.  India will take on Australia in the World Test Championship Final at The Oval in England. The Final will start on 7th June, just one week after the IPL 2023 Final in Ahmedabad. The BCCI has announced a squad to take on Australia. They have not made many changes but one change has brought everyone into a debate. Ajinkya Rahane will be making his comeback in the Test Squad after January 2022. Rahane was dropped from Team India after the South Africa tour in January 2022 for his continuous failures in the longer format. Ajinkya Rahane with a good run in the Ranji Trophy season and a few swashbuckling knocks for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023 had made his case for a comeback in the Test team and selectors took his case forward by giving him another opportunity after almost 18 months break.

Is Ajinkya Rahane's selection justified?

This decision has also put some questions forward for Team India about their strategy for the WTC final.  There is a perception that Rahane’s inclusion is completely based on IPL and fans emotions. This decision is equated with Dinesh Karthik’s inclusion before the World T20.  But this is not the case, Ajinkya Rahane has been in good form in Indian Domestic tournaments as well along with the IPL 2023. Rahane in 7 Ranji Trophy games scored 634 runs at an average of 57.63. He scored two big centuries as well, one against Assam and one against Hyderabad. In these two innings alone Rahane had 395 runs, 191 against Assam and 204 against Hyderabad. Rahane’s experience in the English conditions has also made his case strong against all the others for the WTC Final.

Team India’s regular middle order batter, Shreyas Iyer is out of the action due to a lower back injury. He is missing out on the entire IPL action as well. BCCI selectors without taking any risk in a big game have picked up an experienced guy for the job. Rahane has played 15 Tests in English conditions and his century at The Lord's in 2014 victory is still fresh in everyone’s memory. Another option was Suryakumar Yadav, SKY due to initial failures in the IPL 2023 and also against Australia in the ODI series may have put selectors in two minds before considering his name for middle order. India surely does not want to take any risk as they have before the previous ICC tournaments. India is empty-handed in the ICC tournaments since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Lack of options will hurt Team India

Ajinkya Rahane had a redemption year in 2023. Unlike Rahane, he has batted with an almost 200 strike rate in the IPL 2023. Rahane in 5 IPL innings has scored 209 runs. Rahane’s intent has surely put the spotlight back on him just before the World Test Championship selection. Rahane’s selection also highlights the fact that India is still far from developing suitable bench strength in the longest format of the game. The Lack of options will definitely have an impact on team India’s chances in the big game as well as in picking teams for important tournaments. 

Team India for WTC Final against Australia

Against Australia, Rohit Sharma will be leading the squad and also will take the responsibility of Opening along with Shubhman Gill. Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane’s experience will take on Aussie bowlers in the Middle order. KL Rahul may take responsibility as Number 6 and KS Bharat to keep wickets in the absence of Rishabh Pant. Pant’s absence will be a big setback for Team India. Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja are the three spinners included in the squad. Team India might also go with Ravindra Jadeja as the Number 6 batter and play R Ashwin as a full-time spinner. This will give the team the 5th bowling option as well as a formidable batting option lower down the order. Shardul Thakur, Md Siraj, Md. Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Jaydev Unadkat are the 5 pace bowling options.

India Squad For ICC WTC Final vs Australia:

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubhman Gill, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Md. Shami, Md. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.