Rahane's pedigree trumps Nair's triple

How logical is it to drop a batsman after he scores a triple hundred? It does not seem like a move that a team would be compelled to take, does it?

Well, when India take on Bangladesh for the first time at home, it is very likely that Karun Nair, a batsman who scored 303 against England in Chennai in the last series, will not feature in the playing eleven.

And that is because AjinkyaRahane, who Nair had initially replaced, is fit again and is likely to return to the eleven. It is a move that goes to show just how powerful this Indian batting lineup has been lately.

Skipper Virat Kohli, during the pre-match press conference in Hyderabad yesterday, clearly explained why he favoured Rahane over Nair.

“See, I feel one game does not overshadow two years of hard work from another player. That's my point of view.  You have to understand that Jinx [Ajinkya] averages 50 in the last two years and is the most solid batsman in the Test format. We will look at it from that point of view.

“Karun was stepping into his shoes. What he did was remarkable, sealing his spot as far as the squad is concerned, but you can't overlook two years of hard work from Ajinkya. He deserves to walk back into the team whenever he is fit. That's my take on it,” said Kohli.

Kohli reckons that chopping and changing the batting order frequently would not give batsmen the time that they deserve to prove themselves.

“I think bowlers can be switched according to conditions. You might want to play three seamers or three spinners, some guys might have more pace or reverse swing, you can change those.

“I think from a batting point of view you need big runs in Test cricket and to chop and change continuously doesn't let them gain confidence. People who have been regulars in the eleven, they need to be given a chance. If it's about the lack of form, then you are subject to that change, otherwise it's important to back your top 11,” he said.

When compared to the England series, India is expected to face a better spin attack from Bangladesh. When asked as to what his thoughts were about that, he said: “The opposition does not matter. I watch the revolutions on the ball and how much turn it has. I am not playing any names.”

Furthermore, he stressed on the importance of focusing on their processes.

“We want to focus on our processes and play good cricket. No team is invincible or unbeatable. In cricket there are always opportunities for both sides at different stages of the game, and in Test matches, more so. One hour of good cricket can switch the direction of the game,” said Kohli.

“We are not invincible. We feel we can perform and win against any team in the world but that does not make us feel that we are not beatable. You have to understand the weaknesses and strengths of a team and I think this team does that very well,” he added.