When Virat Kohli hasn’t played a big innings, Ajinkya Rahane has stepped up – MSK Prasad

India’s former selector MSK Prasad has opined that whenever skipper Virat Kohli hasn’t played a big innings, the team’s vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has stepped up.

Rahane had played a magnum opus knock of 112 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia after Virat Kohli had flown back to India to be with his wife.

India was down 0-1 in the four-match Test series after they had skittled for a meager score of 36 runs in the pink-ball Test match. However, Rahane led from the front in Kohli’s absence and played a crucial knock to help his team win the crucial match.

Rahane plays a key role in India’s middle order and he is one of the most crucial batsmen. In fact, Rahane has a better record in overseas conditions as compared to home conditions.

“I think Ajinkya Rahane is too good a player to start with. Of course, he has gone through lots of ups and downs (of late) but whenever the team has been in trouble, he rises to the occasion.

He has that potential. The graph is a little up and down but I don’t foresee any drastic decision being taken by team management.

He will come back strongly. He is a wonderful team-man and everybody likes him a lot. Whenever Virat hasn’t played a big innings, this man has stepped up. We must not forget how he delivered as a captain and a player in Australia when many seniors were absent,” Prasad told cricket.com.

“He is a proven player and his overseas record is far superior to many of the Indian players and maybe at home he has struggled a bit. We should not be putting unnecessary pressure on him,” Prasad added.

Prasad added that Test specialist batsmen like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are true soldiers of the Indian team as they have served the side in the last six to seven years.

“Again, We should not be putting unnecessary pressure on him. Someone like Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara because they are true soldiers who have served Indian cricket wonderfully well for several years in the longer format. We should in fact back them.

“Such talents should never be sidelined as they are proven match-winners and complete players. Rahane is like a suicidal troop. He can go anywhere to bat for the team,” he signed off.

The WTC final will take place at Ageas Bowl, Southampton from June 18.