Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt believes it’s too early in the series to replace struggling Indian batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. The duo has been woefully out of form this year which has put their place in the playing XI in jeopardy.
Cheteshwar Pujara has played three innings in the ongoing England vs India Test series and has scored 25 runs. He averages 27.78 in nine test matches this year. While Ajinkya Rahane, since his hundred at Melbourne, has scored only one fifty-plus score.
The backbone of Indian Test team is struggling, bigger worries are Pujara and Rahane in this, Virat just one innings to get back into the rhythm. pic.twitter.com/ZkNLaVby5h
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 13, 2021
In a video uploaded on Salman Butt’s Youtube Channel, he said that India can try Suryakumar Yadav in the playing XI, but all depends on what Virat Kohli and the coach Ravi Shastri thinks. Salman stated:
“Pujara is struggling. The conditions are also tough. If India wants, they can give Suryakumar Yadav a chance. It all depends on what Virat Kohli thinks, what the coach thinks. As of now, three innings have been played. I feel it is too early to bring in a youngster in such testing conditions. It will be a really tough task for him. Pujara, on the other hand, is dependable and he has performed before in these conditions. He has failed so far but let’s give him one more Test.”
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are top-class players: Salman Butt
Salman Butt further added that Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are top-class players. He pointed out that if India decides to replace the duo, it will put pressure on the duo as well as the players who will replace them.
“Both Pujara and Rahane are India’s top-class players. Sadly, they are not in form. But if you replace someone in the middle of the series, this is only the second Test, the pressure increases on the dropped player as well as on the one who is coming in. It will not be easy for another batter to come in and perform in English conditions. They (Pujara and Rahane) have played three innings so far and, according to me, it is too early to replace them,” said Salman Butt.