ICC Cricket World Cup: World Cup-winner, Dilip Vengsarkar said Ajinkya Rahane could have been a better choice for Shikhar Dhawan’s cover. Rishabh Pant was named as cover for the injured opener and the young wicketkeeper-batsman joined Team India last week in England.
Despite losing Shikhar Dhawan to a fractured thumb for an estimated three weeks, India is backing the senior southpaw to recover in time and get fit for the business end of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
KL Rahul’s record-breaking opening stand with the man in red hot form, Rohit Sharma during India’s big-ticket match against Pakistan may have comforted the think-tank that they have the reserves.
But if you ask World Cup winner Dilip Vengsarkar, hoping for an injured player to resume from where he left off does not always go to plan. Vengsarkar, as we know, is speaking from personal experience.
“It’s very difficult to say if it’s the right move. In 1983 I was injured and I was playing well at the time. By the time I recovered, India had reached the finals and they played the winning combination. And I don’t know how quickly Dhawan can recover,” he told India Today.
Vengsarkar will eternally regret not having won his place back for the 1983 World Cup final.
The Mumbai batting star was injured in a group stage encounter by a Malcolm Marshall delivery and finally recovered in time for the semi-finals. But by that time India had found the winning formula through multiple all-rounders and choose to employ the same during the business end of the tournament.
Whether Dhawan can find his touch back after having stayed away from nets, nursing his fractured thumb also remains to be seen.
Ajinkya Rahane should have been cover for Shikhar Dhawan: Vengsarkar
The other worry that props up with India continuing with a 14- member squad is a not-so-strong middle order. Vijay Shankar who played in the middle order against Pakistan played his part with the ball but isn’t yet a proven performer to bat at no.4 for the rest of the competition.
“How can Dhawan’s replacement be Rishab Pant? It baffles me about the selection committee. It’s 50 overs format and you need someone who can play through 50 overs and that I think is Ajinkya Rahane. Rahane is currently scoring in county cricket and they should have picked him,” said Vengsarkar.
