Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour backs Pujara, Rahane to 'bounce back'' to form

Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour has backed senior Indian cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane and said he is certain that they will come good in the games to come by. 

When quizzed about how much the team is concerned with the underperformance of two senior cricketers, Vikram Rathour said, "Of course we want our top order to contribute, but the cricketers you mentioned have played 80 and 90 Test matches so they have the experience. Of course to play that many games they must have done well for us. I understand both of them are going through a lean phase but they have played very very important knocks for us in the past, and we are pretty sure they will come back and play more important knocks for our team in the future as well."

The two senior-most batters have failed to contribute significantly with the bat with just a performance here and there over the last two years. Pujara averages 20.37 and 30.42 in 2020 and 2021 while Rahane has an average of 38.85 in 2020 and this year has an average of just 19.57. 

'We'll decide in Mumbai': Rathour on next game's playing XI

When asked how much longer will the duo be given, the coach said that there is no number but that would depend on the situation and what the team requires. "I don't think we can put a number to that. That really depends on the situation the team is in, and what the team requires," said Rathour. 

In response to his answer, the coach was asked with Virat Kohli coming in the next game, and with Shreyas Iyer in good touch, who is likely to make the way for the captain. Rathour replied that the focus is on the ongoing game and that we a call will be taken once the team is in Mumbai. "Captain coming back in, that will happen in the next game and we will get to that point when we reach Mumbai. The focus is on this game and there is a day to go and a game to be won. We will get to that point when we get to Mumbai. Once we land in Mumbai, we will take that call, what our playing XI is going to be." he concluded. 

(Image: PTI/AP)