Former India cricketer S Sreesanth reckons Ajinkya Rahane should be recalled back to India’s ODI squad for the upcoming 2023 ICC World Cup. He expressed that bringing the veteran batter back will be one of the boldest moves of the tournament. The ODI World Cup will take place in October-November this year in India.
Ajinkya Rahane has revamped his white-ball game and is going great guns in the ongoing 2023 Indian Premier League. He has scored 224 runs in eight matches, at an average of 44.80 and a strike rate of 189.83. His heroics have earned him a place back in India’s Test squad for the World Test Championship final. S Sreesanth believes that the right-handed batter should be recalled to the ODI squad as well.
Rahane last played an ODI on India’s tour of South Africa in February 2018. He has played 90 ODIs for Team India, scoring 2962 runs at an average of 35.26, with three centuries. Speaking to Star Sports, S Sreesanth said,
“I would love to see him in the squad. The way he is performing, especially with the World Cup happening in India. That will be one of the boldest moves the selectors can make.”
“I am very confident he will do well in the World Test Championship final. But he shouldn’t look at by that performance. He should be given the opportunity (ODI). Let’s see if there are other tournaments, if he is given the white-ball cricket back to him, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him going at No. 4 and winning matches for the country,” he added.
I would look at somebody else: Sunil Gavaskar disagrees with S Sreesanth
Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has disagreed with S Sreesanth over Ajinkya Rahane’s inclusion in the 2023 ODI World Cup squad. He expressed that it is not the right moment for the Chennai Super Kings batter’s comeback to white-ball cricket. Gavaskar expressed that he would look at someone like Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ruturaj Gaikwad than Ajinkya Rahane for the mega-event.
“Yes, I think it’s a good idea but I would say not at the moment. White-ball game, no. Test match definitely yes, but white-ball game, no, I would look at somebody else,” Gavaskar said.
“Maybe somebody who has been doing well in the white-ball format. Somebody like an opening batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, if they don’t find a place at the top of the order, they can bat in the middle order,” he added.
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