Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly questions Ajinkya Rahane’s elevation to Test vice-captaincy

New Delhi: Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly finds it extremely shocking that Ajinkya Rahane has been handed the Test vice-captaincy after spending almost 18 months out as the former India skipper has called for ‘consistency and consistency’. was demanded. in the selection process. The 35-year-old Rahane was out of the team for a year-and-a-half but was India’s best batsman in the World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this month with scores of 89 and 46 at The Oval.

Just one Test after making a comeback, the national selection committee headed by interim chief Shiv Sunder Das re-appointed Rahane as Rohit Sharma’s deputy for the West Indies Test series. So wasn’t it ideal to cast someone like Shubman Gill for the role? “Yeah, I think so,” Ganguly told PTI news agency during an exclusive interview from London.

Although he did not term Rahane’s move forward as a step backward, he did not call it a practical decision either. “I would not say it is a step back. You’re out for 18 months, then you play one Test and you become the vice-captain. I don’t understand the thought process behind this. There’s Ravindra Jadeja, who’s been there for a long time and certainly in Test matches, he’s a candidate… But just to come back and straight away become vice-captain after 18 months, I don’t understand. My only point is that the selection should not be hot and cold. Ganguly, one of India’s finest Test captains, said there should be consistency and consistency in selection.

The Indian selectors have made a change by dropping a batsman of the stature of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ganguly wants the channel of communication to be clear with the player who has played more than 100 Tests for India.

“The selectors should have a clear idea about him (Pujara). Does he need him to play Test cricket now or does he want to continue playing with the youngsters and let him know that. Someone like Pujara cannot be dropped, then picked up, then dropped and then selected. Same is the case with Ajinkya Rahane,” Ganguly said.

Ajinkya Rahane is back as India’s vice-captain in Tests. pic.twitter.com/W1cse8q71p– Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) 23 June 2023

Sarfaraz Khan should get a chance to prove his worth

There is a growing feeling that a solid IPL 2023 like that of Ruturaj Gaikwad is needed to even make it to Test cricket. However, Ganguly disagrees with that notion. He said that a stalwart batsman like Sarfaraz Khan, who could not perform well in IPL, should get a chance to prove himself.

“I think Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored a lot of runs in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy. I think that is why he is in the team. I feel for Sarfaraz Khan. The amount of runs he has scored in the last three years, he should get his chance at some point. And the same goes for Abhimanyu Easwaran with the number of runs he has scored in the last five to six years. I am surprised that both of them have been dropped but they should get a chance in future. But Yashasvi Jasiwal is a good choice.”

He has watched Sarfaraz closely as the director of cricket at Delhi Capitals and is not happy with the notion that he cannot play fast bowling. “If you don’t play him (Sarfaraz) against fast bowling, how do you know?” he retorted.

“If he had a problem, he (India) would not have scored so many runs all around. I personally feel he has no problem against fast bowling and should be given a chance,’ Ganguly said.

So does he think we need a big name as chairman to stand up to the big names in Indian team management. “To be honest, I don’t want to comment on it.”

‘No reason why one cannot play both IPL and WTC final’

The final of the World Test Championship is always held two months after the IPL and there is a view that the BCCI should talk to the IPL franchises to monitor the workload of the players.

Ganguly, who has been on both sides of the fence, believes this is not a workable solution. “I do not agree with this theory. Ajinkya Rahane also played IPL and he played very well during IPL and World Test Championship final. That’s why I don’t believe in this theory. Some Australian boys (Cameron Green, David Warner) also played well in IPL and did well in World Test Championship.

“After the IPL got over, there was enough time to adapt to Test cricket. He went to England and he played. This used to happen earlier also. You played ODI cricket and you played Test cricket, things used to happen very, very quickly and so I don’t think it was an issue. So I believe that even if you play IPL, you should have the ability to adjust your technique and temperament and do well in a Test match,” he said.

BCCI and ICC did a good job in selecting the World Cup venues

While some traditional centers like Mohali and Nagpur were left out, Ganguly praised the stalwarts of both ICC and BCCI for their good selection of venues. “It is a great schedule and the allocation of matches has been great. The BCCI and the ICC have done a great job of delivering the right matches at the right venues and I know it is going to be a tremendous World Cup. I know how BCCI organizes IPL, they will make it a spectacle,” he concluded.