Mumbai: With the No.3 spot in the Indian Test team up for grabs, thanks to frequent changes, India’s greatest one-drop batsman Rahul Dravid provided some direction to the debate by cutting down one of the available choices. The Bengaluru stalwart who has amassed over 10,000 runs batting at three felt India’s latest No.3 Ajinkya Rahane was more suited for the No.5 spot.
With both Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma not doing enough to cement the spot, Rahane was made to bat at three in the second and third Test of the recently concluded series. While he scored 126 in the second innings of the second Test, his three other innings were single digits.
Dravid, who has 28 centuries to his name batting at the all-important spot, felt that Rahane had skills more suited batting lower down when asked specifically about Rahane’s position. “He is a good No.4 or No.5 for the kind of success he had batting at that position,” Dravid said.
Explaining further Dravid added that batting at No.5 often exposes a batsman to the second new ball. “He has the ability to bat with the tail and with the kind of shots he has, he will be able to face the second new ball.”
The India ‘A’ and India U-19 coach praised Rahane, who was sitting by his side at for his consistent show in the longer format of the game. The two were in Mumbai for Aakash Chopra’s book launch function The Insider. “He has had to work hard to get into the Indian team. He averaged 50 in domestic cricket and had raked up centuries before he was picked. He has been India’s best batsman in the last two years.”
Dravid’s tips helped a lot, says Rahane
Apart from batting, catching is yet another attribute that Rahane seems to have imbibed from his Rajasthan Royals’ mentor Dravid. Rahane, who set a world record in the Galle Test when pouched eight catches, thanked Dravid for his inputs. “I have been playing with one of the world’s greatest slip catchers. During the IPL, we had a very good discussion on slip catching and overall catching which has helped,” Rahane, said.
Asked what does one need to become a good slip fielder, Rahane said, “Patience, anticipation, and the ability to stay calm is most important while fielding at slip.” With Indian batsmen falling prey to spin bowling in the last few Test series, Rahane defended the batting unit. “I don’t think we are playing spin poorly. Whenever a batsman scores a century, we praise him. I think we must also give credit to the bowlers. (Rangana) Herath, (Tharindu) Kaushal bowled well. Even Nathan Lyon bowled very well in Australia. I think everywhere we have batted well against fast bowlers but, unfortunately getting out to spinners,” he said. Rahane said as India played five bowlers, the batsmen “had to score quickly and give them time to take 20 wickets.”
