IND vs AUS: Three Reasons why India should bring back Ajinkya Rahane for BGT series

The highly-anticipated five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series will kick off on November 22. As India gears up for an uphill challenge against Australia, reports indicate that skipper Rohit Sharma will miss the first Test in Perth due to personal reasons.

This development is a significant setback for Team India not just from a leadership perspective but also because Rohit has been the best Test batter ever since the start of the World Test Championship.

His absence will leave a gap both in the batting lineup, given the bouncy track at Perth. However, India must find a way to overcome this challenge and one viable solution is bringing back Ajinkya Rahane.

Here are three reasons why the Indian team management should bring back Ajinkya Rahane and that he could be the perfect choice in the BGT series.

1. Leadership experience in Tough Conditions

India needs someone like Ajinkya Rahane who has proven success in challenging overseas conditions. The Mumbai-born has a history of delivering under pressure.

His previous stint as India's Test captain in Australia during the 2020-21 series speaks huge volumes about his leadership capabilities. Despite being without key players and facing an injury-ridden squad, the veteran led India to a historic 2-1 series win Down Under, including the iconic victory at the Gabba.

2. Proven ability to Perform in overseas conditions

The cricket fraternity is well aware of Ajinkya Rahane's overseas record. He is known for his ability to play on bouncy and challenging tracks, which helped the team quite a lot in the past.

The Test opener is set to take place on the fast and bouncy track at Perth and India needs Rahane who has experience and success in such sort of conditions. On top of that, he had a pretty decent outing in the 2024 One Day Cup, wherein he accumulated 378 runs across 10 innings and averaged 42.

He helped the Foxes advance to the semi-finals. Moreover, he amassed 202 runs from three Vitality County Championship matches, including a stellar century against Glamorgan earlier this month. Rahane will provide the much-needed stability in the middle order and his experience will help India cope with Australia's fiery pace attack.

3. Recent form and success as captain

The seasoned cricketer has shown his leadership and batting prowess in the domestic circuit of late. Under his tutelage, Mumbai defied the odds and came through with flying colours in both the Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup.

He might be out of the Test scheme of things, but he has shown the hunger and ability to deliver the goods in red-ball cricket. His recent form goes to show that he still has some good cricket left in him and that he might be a surprise package for the team when called upon in critical situations.