Former India batter Aakash Chopra said there will be added pressure on Ajinkya Rahane when he leads Team lndia in the first Test against New Zealand at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, starting November 25. The Kiwis will tour India later this month for three T20Is, followed by a two-match Test series. Chopra feels Rahane will have to score runs or else questions will be raised. Chopra added that there were doubts regarding Rahane's selection for the now-rescheduled fifth and final Test against England.
"You have named Ajinkya Rahane as captain for the first Test. But, let's be honest, there were questions regarding Rahane's selection for the final Test (against England) if the match had happened," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Speaking about Rahane's poor run of form in the last two seasons, Chopra said, "As much as I like Rahane, his average has gone down massively in the past two years or so. There has been an odd good knock in between, but the average has fallen 20 points in the same period."
In the last 15 Tests, Rahane has scored just 644 runs at an average of 24.76. Chopra also feels that the upcoming Test series is a very important one for India's Test vice-captain, as it could decide his future.
"It's a very important series for Rahane. Though he is the captain, he will have to score runs because there is pressure. The last one year has been really ordinary by his standards, by any standard actually."
Virat Kohli will miss the first Test as he has been rested. He, however, will lead the team in the second Test, which will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from December 3-7.