Discarded Batter set to make a return to India's WTC Final Squad

Ajinkya Rahane is set to make a return to the Test team for the WTC Finals after being discarded earlier due to poor form. He had a decent domestic season, where he scored 634 runs at a superior average of 57.63. Rahane played a vital role in Mumbai’s victory on a few occasions as well.

The Indian team coach, Rahul Dravid, and the other key members will meet at NCA to make a strategy for the WTC Finals. India will meet Australia for the glory match from June 7-11 at The Oval. The staff members have several issues to discuss ahead of this stiff match.

Ajinkya Rahane set to make a comeback in the Test team

If the reports are to be believed, Ajinkya Rahane will be back to the red-ball team. Rahane, 34, last featured for India in early January last year against South Africa. The injuries to the main players must have tempted to give Rahane another go in this format.

The likes of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah are out of the national team due to various reasons. These three are also certain to miss the WTC Final, which has opened the doors for the veteran batter.

A BCCI source told about the meeting to PTI anonymously.

“Dravid along with batting coach Vikram Rathour, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, fielding coach T Dilip and the other support staff, will be meeting the NCA team headed by VVS Laxman to discuss various issues related to the senior team,” the source said.

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There will be plenty of things to discuss in the forum. The workload management and quality match practice with the red ball - amid a white-ball carnival - might be the salient talking points. Earlier, Rohit Sharma had also emphasized the workload management of the pacers in the IPL.

If Ajinkya Rahane gets another chance, it will be a huge moment for him. The Maharashtra-born also stated in December last year that he will summon his older version to succeed again.

Rahane asserted, “You always have a memory of good things you have done…how you used to play, what was your style, how much did you shuffle, what was the initial movement. Over the years, the changes creep into the game…I think these changes are for good as well as we play matches in different countries. But if I have to score runs consistently, I thought I will refer to old Ajinkya's batting and try to implement it."

Rahane has 4931 runs in 140 innings at an average of 38.52 in the Tests. He has also amassed 25 half-centuries and 12 centuries.