Ajinkya Rahane "Will Have To Make Runs" To Keep Team India Place: Ex-India Opener

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer feels incumbent vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will have to consistently score runs to remain in the Test reckoning. Rahane, 35, returned to the Indian Test team on the back of an impressive IPL this year and made a strong impression in the World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this year. However, he has flopped twice with the bat which has raised questions about his consistency once again.

"Rahane will have to show consistency in his game, which has been his problem even though he has played 80-90 Tests (84). Consistency has been an issue, he will have to overcome it because India have a good captaincy option in him after Rohit Sharma is done.

"Rahane will have to make runs, and then everything else will follow," Jaffer told media during an interaction organised by Jio Cinema on Friday.

Jaffer said the Indian selectors see a strong captaincy option in Rahane.

"If his form was great from that Australia series after that 36 all-out, the way he led, scored a hundred in Melbourne... had his form remained the same, he would have been the next Test captain. But he lost his form and got dropped," he said.

"However, he reinvented himself in the IPL and got a chance in the WTC final. He was appointed the vice-captain as well, because the Indian selectors see a good leader in him. He still has age on his side but he needs to score runs, if he does not then he will find it difficult," he added.