WI vs IND 2019: Ajinkya Rahane Confirms Rohit Sharma Unlikely to Play Second Test

India have registered a whopping 318 runs in the first test against West Indies in?Antigua. The second Test will begin from August 30 in?Jamaica. Although a couple of India batsmen fumbled a bit, India’s limited over vice-captain Rohit Sharma wouldn’t get a chance in the second Test, confirmed Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.

India registered the win on the back of a couple of stunning performances. While Ajinkya Rahane played a patient 81 in the first innings, he scored a century in the second.?Ravindra Jadeja scored a half-century in the first innings and Virat Kohli joined the party in the second.

Even Hanuma Vihari?proved that his selection was not a fluke by scoring a 128-ball 93. Along with them, Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul in first and second innings respectively did the job for India. With this win, they have claimed 60 points in the ICC World Test Championship.

Moreover, Ajinkya Rahane praised Hanuma Vihari for his approach, which was why the selectors chose him before Rohit Sharma and he kept their faith on him. With his good form, Rohit Sharma might have to wait for another opportunity in Tests, as India would probably go with the same playing XI in the second Test.

“Vihari did really well in India A tours and domestic circuit. It’s good to see that a player who has consistently done well at the domestic level is also doing well at the international level. At the same time, Rohit Sharma is a quality player, special player. It’s hard to see him miss a Test match but at the end of the day, it’s all in the team’s perspective,” Rahane added.

However, India wouldn’t take the second one lightly as Rahane said the new format has made every session and every Test match important.

“We are really confident about what we did in the last game but we have to be in the present. Cricket s a funny game. We can’t take it lightly, especially when the points system is involved. So we have to give more than 100 percent in each and every Test and each and every session. Hopefully, we can repeat our performance from Antigua,”?Rahane said on the eve of the second Test in Jamaica.

“West Indies is a positive team. They bat deep and they are a good bowling unit. As I said, we are not going to take them lightly. It’s important to respect them and important to play to our strength. We are focussed on starting off sessions well,” he further added.

Ajinkya Rahane’s return to form is definitely a big positive for India who got the century nearly after two years. He even awarded the Man of the Match for the scintillating knock.

“If felt really special for me. I actually got to know how it… what it takes to get a century after 2 years. I was working really hard on my batting. I always think about what I can learn from every game, every practice session so it was really special. I though, wasn’t thinking about any milestones. Because of the team thinking, pressure was completely off,”?Rahane concluded.