What does the WTC final showing mean for Ajinkya Rahane?

The tricky part of a selector’s job is to know what's the right time to ease out a player. After the World Test Championship final, the decision makers in the Indian cricket board have to grapple with the call on their players in the mid-30s.

Looking at the past example, India coach Rahul Dravid was 39 when he retired, Sachin Tendulkar 40 and VVS Laxman 37.

Before the WTC final, the Indian selectors had one player’s future to think about on an immediate basis – Cheteshwar Pujara. After the game in London last week, they have two candidates with Ajinkya Rahane also making a strong case for an extended stay in the team with innings of 89 and 46.

As the selectors put in place a plan for the next cycle of the World Test Championship which begins with a two-Test series against the West Indies in the Caribbean in July, they are faced with making a choice between going with the seniors in the middle-order or moving on and building the side with younger players.

When the WTC 2025 final comes across, both Pujara and Rahane will be 37. The concern is whether their powers would have started to wane? It may not necessarily be the case, though. Their coach Dravid had his best series in the UK at the age of 37 when he got three hundreds in four Tests in 2011 against England. Tendulkar also hit a purple patch at the age of 37 with four hundreds, including two double hundreds. Against the formidable South Africa attack, Tendulkar got two hundreds in three Tests in South Africa, in 2010.

It is not just the India cricketers. Even Dravid’s contemporaries in the Australia side went out at around the same age. Ricky Ponting was 37 at the time of his retirement, the late Shane Warne was 37, Glenn McGrath on the verge of 37 (28 days short of 37) and Matthew Hayden 37.

RAHANE'S CASE

Rahane’s inclusion in the side for the WTC final was based on the unavailability of Shreyas Iyer due to injury. After he proved his form in the IPL, the veteran’s experience with the conditions and the occasion made him an ideal choice as a replacement. But the selectors were only looking at him as a stop-gap arrangement being their best option to handle the pressure of the big stage. His success in both essays, however, means he has staked a claim for the next Test series as well.

So, should the selectors go with the flow and take it series by series or take the big call and go with a bold change? Till the return to fitness of Iyer, they have the option of going with the flow. The tough call will have to be taken when Iyer returns to the side. Being an autocratic choice, it pitches Rahane and Pujara against each other for a slot in the middle order.

COMEBACK MEN

Along with Pujara, Rahane was written off after the South Africa series defeat at the start of 2022. They have proved there is cricket left in them. While the Saurashtra batter forced his way back into the team on the back of strong performances in County cricket, Rahane remained in wilderness before making a stunning statement with his performance in IPL 2023.

In the final, Pujara couldn’t fire though, getting out for 14 and 27 while Rahane grabbed the opportunity.

One of the crucial aspects of the discussion surrounding Rahane's comeback was whether it was solely for the final or will India consider him for impending contests as well? Before the game, coach Dravid said that it depended purely on how Rahane performed.

"You don't want him to approach this as just a one-off. Sometimes, you get dropped from teams and you make a comeback and you come back and play for as long as you are playing well and as long as your performing. It's not written in stone that you only get one match. If he puts in a good performance and shows what he has got, who knows, even when people come back from injury, you never know what can happen," Dravid said in the lead up to the WTC final.

It should give Rahane hope.

BATTING POSITION

In terms of batting position, it looks like the competition will be between Iyer and Rahane and not Rahane and Pujara. Iyer bats at No 5/6. Rahane batted at No 5 in the WTC final.

Pujara bats at No 3 but Iyer is flexible. He has shown the ability to adjust to different roles and doesn’t bat at a fixed position. For Mumbai, he is used to bat at No 3. The Indian team management has used him as per their game plan for the opposition attack. Before his accident, Rishabh Pant was batting at No 5.

HARD RUNS

It is not a straightforward decision to sideline the two veterans because of their ability to get hard runs. Their proven record of back-to-the-wall kind of innings has kept them relevant in Indian cricket team’s plans. Rahane provided another proof of it in the final when he stood firm among the ruins. With the Indian team coming under heavy pressure from Australia, the No 5's contribution was crucial in helping keep them alive in the game till the last day of the final at The Oval. It got everyone sit up and take notice. The gritty first innings effort also got the attention of legendary South Africa batter AB de Villiers, who heaped praise on the batter. “I’ve never seen Rahane move so well! The technique is sound and playing it late,” De Villiers stated in reply to cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle’s tweet.

Rahane's 89 and 46 are fresh in memory while in India’s previous series, also against Australia, on a rank turner at Indore Pujara had played an innings of high skill on way to 59 against Nathan Lyon & Co. Not to mention, his outstanding efforts in India's series wins over Australia in 2018-19, 2020-21 and 2016-17.

But, how long will they continue to be relevant is the question. The emotional factor is also not been there anymore for both the veterans. When they were dropped after the 2022 South Africa series, having been great servants of the game, it would have been very sad had their careers ended at that point of time.

Pujara was five short of 100 Tests. Missing out on the milestone seemed unfair for a great cricketing warrior who has played a number of heroic innings while putting his body on the line. Now, his dream of playing his 100th Test has already been achieved.

As for Rahane, for a player who has been a regular fixture in the side for 10 years, having a respectful ending to his career is all that his fans wanted. After the sparkling show in the IPL, the WTC final has provided him with the perfect platform. It ensures his legacy as a player who got tough runs in difficult, away conditions is intact.

Now, there’s nothing left to prove for both. The only way for them to continue playing is to score tons of runs.