From the moment India announced their playing eleven for the opening Test match in Newlands, Cape Town, questions have been raised about the exclusion of Test specialist Ajinkya Rahane and inclusion of Rohit Sharma in the squad, both by fans and cricket experts.

Rahane’s performances in overseas matches were the reason why people were expecting him in Kohli’s squad and Indian batting collapse in both the innings (209 &135) of the first Test, with India losing the match with 72 runs, only added to the murmurs against the selection.

While talking to India Today, former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly said that Rahane’s performance on foreign soil should have been discussed by Virat and the team management before deciding the playing eleven.

“The record of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma in overseas conditions is not very good. Their record is basically chalk and cheese when it comes to overseas Tests. It is fine to go by current form, but they should not have overlooked the performances of KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane in overseas conditions in the past few years,” Ganguly said.

Sourav Ganguly’s statement was in response to Kohli’s statement in which he explained the inclusion of Rohit Sharma in the squad.

“Well, we decided to go on current form. Rohit (Sharma) has scored runs in the last three Test matches that he has played, and he was batting well, even in the series against Sri Lanka,” said Kohli in the post-match media conference.

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However, the stats states that both Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have struggled in overseas matches. Sharma’s average is 25.11 in the 15 Tests that he has played on foreign soil, while Dhawan has scored only one century in an overseas game. On the other hand, India’s Test specialist Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul’s stats bat for them to be included in playing eleven of the team. In his four centuries, KL Rahul has scored three abroad and Rahane has scored six tons and nine fifties on foreign soil.

When Sourav was asked about the changes that can be seen in the remaining matches of the series, he said Rahane should in the Indian squad.

“Virat (Kohli) has shown a lot of trust in Rohit and Shikhar. It seems highly unlikely that they will not be given a second chance. But, the top order and middle order failed to perform in the first Test and Rahane will be a valuable addition to the line-up,” he said.

Faf du Plessis’s side was very attacking and dominant with their bowling performance in the opening test but Dale Steyn’s injury could be a good news for the visitors. However, the veteran Indian cricketer begs to differ and said his absence will not be a problem for hosts.

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“I think that Steyn’s injury is a blessing in disguise for South Africa. With (Chris) Morris coming in, they will have more strength in batting and that will help them in the series,” Ganguly said.