Virat Kohli gives sharp response as deputy Ajinkya Rahane faces criticism

Mumbai: Team India captain Virat Kohli, who became the first international player to record 50 international wins in each format of the game, said that vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s form can’t be judged by him or anyone else. Rahane needs an arm of assurance around his shoulders as he figures out what exactly is he “going through”.

Rahane’s poor batting form over the course of the last two years has led to intense speculations. With Shreyas Iyer scoring a century on Test debut in Kanpur and Mayank Agarwal coming up with a hundred in Mumbai, the pressure has only grown on Rahane. Kohli, not for the first time not only downplayed the criticism but also backed his deputy in Test matches.

“I can’t judge his (Rahane’s) form. No one can judge it. Only the individual knows what he’s going through,” Kohli said when asked about the 33 year old’s poor patch which has resulted in an average of less than 20 across 12 Tests.

Kohli also added that backing players who have done well for the team in the past is important. The Indian skipper further asserted that the team and the management have never decided on any player’s exclusion based on the talks going on outside.

“We need to back them in these moments, especially when they have done well in the past. We as players know what happens in the team and in our heads. There’s a lot going on outside and we can’t let those things affect the way we play. We don’t take decisions based on what happens outside. We support everybody in the side, Ajinkya or anyone,” Kohli made it clear.

Rahane, who captained India in the first Test in Kanpur, did not play in Mumbai due to his left hamstring strain whilst fielding on the final day of the Kanpur Test. He had scored 35 and four runs in the first Test. His poor form led to multiple choices for India in the opening spot and the option of Iyer slotting into the middle order in place of Rahane in South Africa.