Ajinkya Rahane’s Practice Clip Goes Viral Following India’s Dramatic Collapse in Bengaluru

The only saving grace was that India narrowly avoided equaling their all-time record for the most ducks in a single innings, a record of six ducks they had previously set against England in 2014 and South Africa in 2022.

India’s Previous Lowest Scores

India’s total of 46 in Bengaluru joins the ranks of the team’s most infamous collapses. While the all-time low came in 1974 when India was bowled out for just 42 runs against England, this performance in 2023 against New Zealand wasn’t far behind.

The batting lineup, on paper, looked solid, with world-class players such as Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Sarfaraz Khan. However, the reality on the field told a different story. Kohli, once the backbone of India’s batting, fell for a duck.

While India’s batting struggles grabbed headlines, New Zealand’s bowlers deserve immense credit for their performance. The Kiwis bowled with precision, exploiting the conditions to perfection. Their ability to generate swing and extract bounce from the pitch made life difficult for India’s batters.

Ajinkya Rahane’s Instagram Post

While India’s batting collapse was unfolding in Bengaluru, former captain Ajinkya Rahane posted a video on Instagram of his practice session. The timing of the post led many fans to speculate whether Rahane was sending a message to the BCCI, subtly reminding them of his capabilities.

Rahane’s post sparked a flurry of comments on social media, with fans calling for his return to the Indian squad. Some felt that his calm and steady presence could have been the solution to India’s struggles, while others interpreted the post as a dig at the current selectors for overlooking him.

Rahane and Pujara: Could They Make a Comeback?

The collapse in Bengaluru has reignited the debate about the future of India’s Test team. With the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia looming later this year, some fans are calling for the return of experienced players like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Both players have proven their ability to anchor innings and could provide much-needed stability to the team.

Rahane captioned it: “Ready to strike!” But fans on social media could not stop wondering about the timing of the post.

“Bro knows the timing to post,” said one of the users, while another exclaimed: “Rahane bhai saw the opportunity and posted immediately.”

Meanwhile, another user reckoned that it was a target at BCCI for not considering him for the Indian team.

The post read: “Trolling BCCI, Rahane deserve chance.”

Many on the post also felt that India should call back Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of the Border-Gavaskar series in Australia later this year.

As the captain, Rohit Sharma’s leadership is under the spotlight following this humiliating collapse. While Rohit has been a successful limited-overs captain, his ability to lead the Test side through challenging situations is being questioned.