Indian Test vice-captain KL Rahul on Friday said that the team will have to make a tough choice between Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer for the No 5 slot against South Africa. Virat Kohli and company are set to play a three-match Test series, starting December 26. 

Team India have been practicing at Ceturion since a week and looking at the conditions, Rahul, who was appointed as the vice captain after Rohit Sharma dropped out, indicated that the team will continue with its five-bowler strategy. Asked if playing four bowlers, which allows an extra batter in the line-up becomes a workload management problem for the team, Rahul replied in an affirmative.

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“Every team wants to pick up 20 wickets to win Test match. We have used that tactic and it has helped us in every Test match that we have played away. Workload also becomes slightly easier to manage with five bowlers and when you have that kind of quality (in Indian ranks), I think, we might as well use it.” Rahul said during a virtual media interaction.

Speaking of making a choice between Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer, he said, “It is a very difficult decision to make obviously.”

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“Speaking about Ajinkya, he has been an important member of the Test team, played very, very crucial knocks in his career. In the last 15-18 months, he has played some crucial knocks, that partnership with Pujara at Lord’s, was important for us in winning the Test match.”

Iyer got a hundred and fifty on his Test debut against New Zealand. 

“Shreyas, obviously has taken his chances and got a brilliant hundred (along with a fifty) in Kanpur and he is very exciting. Hanuma has done the same for us, so it’s a tough decision. We will start having a chat today or tomorrow and you will get to know in couple of days time.”

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The opener added that he is looking forward to taking the additional responsibilities that come as a vice-captain. 

“I have always enjoyed responsibility and as an opener, we have responsibility of providing good starts. Now, may be a bit more involvement with regards to making strategy with the captain. May be pass on some more information and take some pressure off Virat.” 

“I don’t think too much and put myself under pressure that since I have performed in England, I have to do well here and what if I don’t do well over here,” he said when asked if replicating the show in England is on his mind.