Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Bengaluru: What was once can’t always be. The latest recipients of this reality check were Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
In a sense, the duo would have seen it coming for they had lost touch with runs, and eventually favour with the selectors and the management.
But they’re as endearing as they are enduring so one would have expected a longer run, especially since India’s next major assignment involves a two-Test series in South Africa. Alas.
The management reckoned the time is ripe to bring on those fresh legs and do away with tired 35-year-old knees.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are about as old as the exiting two, and R Ashwin, at 37, is also included. But you wouldn’t dare remove Rohit in his current avatar. Kohli is Kohli so that’s a no-go. As for Ashwin, he has enough off-spinning guile to make himself relevant in most conditions.
And frankly, there aren’t many younglings on the wings who can replace the genius of these three. Eventually, possibly, but not yet so the management did the next best thing: dispense the dispensable.
It sounds harsh given the duo's contribution to Indian cricket for over a decade, but that’s the nature of the beast. It’s a reality which will humble even a duo with close to 12,500 runs from 188 Tests. Those career numbers, however, don’t reflect their form of recent memory.
Since his last Test century towards the end of 2022, Pujara has scored 211 runs from 10 innings.
Rahane’s case is a bit more complicated because he did have a good domestic season and followed it up with what-seemed-like-a-career-reviving 89 in the World Test Championship at The Oval against Australia. This was after coming in as a replacement for an injured Shreyas Iyer.
But a couple of subsequent failures on belters in West Indies, and Shreyas’ robust return, meant that knock was to be relegated to past, just like the man who scripted the innings.
Essentially, unpromising numbers from Pujara and Rahane fell prey to the promise of youth.
Besides, Rohit and Kohli, the batting line-up reads Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul. An equally young, dynamic bowling line-up follows.
So, building around those once-pillars would not have been the most prudent of decisions.
Also, given India’s intense schedule over the next year where they host England in five Tests and then travel to Australia for five Tests, it wouldn’t have made sense to hold on to underperforming seniors while denying a new generation of pyrotechnicians a chance at forging a new future.
The management may have maintained the status quo in extending Rahul Dravid’s coaching contract, but their aversion to hinge on past credentials of players has become evident.
'Evolve and deliver or perish' is going to be the trend going forward across all formats so everyone is on notice. Of course, some will be given a longer rope, some persisted with for potential and some failings will be overlooked, but no one is above the law laid by the Indian management.
This is why the quiet servants of Indian cricket will continue to hold on to hope without letting despondency and despair override their rationale. They have been here before and they have found their way back.
This time might not be like the others for this Indian Test squad’s young-old balance is delectable, and seems primed for success in the final frontiers (series victory in South Africa and the WTC title).
But, would you dare question the persevering power of the likes of Pujara and Rahane?