Former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has asked Ajinkya Rahane, the vice-captain of the Indian test team to bat at number four in Virat Kohli’s absence. Kohli will be unavailable in the final three Test matches for India. He will return back to India to be with his wife for the birth of his first child. He has already been granted paternity leave by the BCCI for the last three matches.

Meanwhile, Majrekar has backed Rahane to bat at number four in Kohli’s absence in the last three matches. He will be leading India in the last three matches as well. Talking to ANI, Manjrekar said Rahane is the best fit at number four.

“In Virat’s absence, Ajinkya Rahane should step up and bat at number four. Hanuma Vihari can bat at number five, if Shubman is tried in the middle order, then he should bat at number six,” Sanjay Manjrekar told ANI.

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Sanjay Manjrekar Backs Ajinkya Rahane To Bat At 4

Veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane has been averaging over 50 in his last nine Tests, which is why the former Indian batsman feels that the Indian vice-captain should bat at number four.

“Rahane has been averaging more than 50 in his last nine Tests, we will have to wait and see whether Rahane steps up, in fact, it’s a question of the entire batting line-up stepping up, we have only seen them in white-ball cricket, Kohli not being there after the first Test is a massive setback.”

“In foreign conditions, Kohli is half the Indian batting, Pujara stepped up last time in Australia, Kohli has been India’s most dependable player in foreign conditions, so his absence will be a huge setback. This particular series against Australia is a test of the depth of India’s cricket talent in Tests,” he further added.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli broke his silence finally on the leave that he has taken. He said that its a special moment for him and his wife Anushka and he wants to be with his wife at this beautiful moment.

“The decision was made before the selection meeting that I will be flying back before the first Test. It was purely based on the fact that there was a quarantine period in both ways. I wanted to be back in time to be with my wife for the birth of our first child,” said Kohli during the presser.

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