“Their chapter is closed”: Aakash Chopra on veteran middle-order duo’s India chances

New Delhi [India]: Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra said on Saturday that doors to the Test team for veteran middle-order batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are closed but with the former’s Indian Premier League (IPL) career still alive, he will be relevant for a longer time as he plays in the league for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), captained by MS Dhoni.

The Men’s Selection Committee on Friday announced India’s 16-member squad for the first two Tests against England. India are set to play a five-match Test series, the first of which will be held in Hyderabad on January 25. The series will conclude on March 11. Rahane and Pujara have not been selected for the series.

On his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “The squad is along the expected lines. We had expected Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara not to be there. I feel that chapter is closed. If you did not pick them in South Africa, that was the last opportunity to pick them. If you did not pick them there, you are not going back to them.”

“Ajinkya Rahane’s IPL career is alive, so he will stay relevant a little more because you become a part of the conversation whenever you do well in the IPL. It is not important to play in Chennai. Playing for Chennai is important because Dhoni is there,” added Chopra.

Pujara and Rahane were the backbone of Indian middle-order batting from the early 2010s to the early 2020s. Pujara represented India in 103 Tests, scoring 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, with 19 centuries and 35 fifties in 176 innings. His best score is 206*. Pujara has also played five ODIs for India.

Rahane has also played 85 Tests for India, scoring 5,077 runs at an average of 38.46, with 12 centuries and 26 fifties in 144 innings. His best score is 188.

However, since India’s historic win over Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane in January 2021, their statistics have taken a huge nosedive. Since that iconic victory, which also helped India gain an inspirational series win in Australia, Pujara has represented India in 22 Tests further, scoring just 1,084 runs at an underwhelming average of 29.29, with just a century and seven fifties to show in 40 innings.

Rahane has also been disappointing since that famous win in Australia. In his later 16 Tests, he scored just 606 runs at a poor average of 22.44, with just four half-centuries in 27 innings. But Rahane had a great IPL 2023 with CSK, scoring 326 runs in 11 innings at an average of 32.60 and a massive strike rate of 172.48. He also scored two explosive half-centuries. Another IPL season like this could help Rahane stick around slightly longer than Pujara, who last played an IPL match back in 2014.

Chopra also said that Pujara will keep scoring runs in first-class cricket despite being out of favour with the national team, as he scores them for the love he has for batting. Chopra also backed Pujara to score 100 first-class centuries. Pujara had slammed 243* against Jharkhand for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy just last week.

“Cheteshwar Pujara scored a double century last week. He is the saint of cricket. He will keep scoring because he does not score runs only for selection. Half the world scores runs for selection. He plays cricket just because he likes batting,” said Chopra.

“He scores runs because he likes scoring runs. So Cheteshwar Pujara will continue to score runs and break all records in first-class cricket. I think he has already scored 61 first-class centuries. He will make 100; he will not stop; he will not retire at all,” concluded Chopra.

Pujara has an incredible first-class record. In 258 matches, he has scored 19,812 runs at an average of 52.00, with 61 centuries and 77 half-centuries in 426 innings. His best score is 352.