Team India’s stand-in Test captain Ajinkya
Rahane has been going through a lean patch since scoring 112 against Australia in
Melbourne in December 2020. Since then he managed just one half-century against
England at The Oval in February. During the ongoing Kanpur Test against New
Zealand, Rahane registered scores of 4 and 35 as India‘s middle order collapsed in the second innings. On Sunday, he fell to Ajaz Patel in the 15th over.

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Rahane’s poor run with the bat has become a
cause of concern for the Indian team management, which new head coach Rahul
Dravid will look to sort out.

But why has Rahane been failing to get his
mojo back? Analysing Rahane’s batting, former India spinner Pragyan Ojha said
the 33-year-old’s footwork has been causing him a lot of trouble lately.

In an interview with Cricbuzz, Ojha, who
played 24 Tests for India, said, “As far as the mental aspect is
concerned, I don’t think Ajinkya Rahane will be that much disturbed. But
technically, what the other legendary batters of the Indian cricket team are
saying, his footwork can be an issue. When your footwork isn’t right, the
variable bounce off the pitch can cause trouble. This is what is ailing
Rahane.”

Ojha also said good performances by
debutantes add pressure on senior players. In the Kanpur Test, Shreyas Iyer
scored 105 on his debut.

The 35-year-old former India cricketer said
the senior batters of the team will have to sort out their techniques in order
to ensure their place in the team.

“Your strategy can be understood but
when it becomes a pattern and you start getting out, then you have to work on
that. Working on changing the technique isn’t easy but we can surely expect
that from senior members of the team,” Ojha said.

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Rahane, who has been leading India in the
first Test against New Zealand in absence of regular captain Virat Kohli,
failed to convert his start in the first innings and in the second he was
bamboozled by Patel.

Kohli will join the Indian team before the Mumbai
Test which is scheduled to start on December 3.