'Time to drop him now' - Twitter reacts after Ajinkya Rahane's yet another failure in Kanpur Test

India skipper for Kanpur Test, Ajinkya Rahane’s place doesn’t seem to be certain for the second Test against New Zealand in Mumbai. Regular captain Virat Kohli will be returning after a decent rest and the Indian team management will have a tough call to make on whom to leave out from the XI. Shubman Gill who replaced KL Rahul at the top of the order also scored a half-century in the first innings.

Debutant Shreyas Iyer smashed a brilliant ton to lead India to 345 runs in the first innings. On the contrary, Rahane could only score 35 runs before chopping one on to his stumps. Things only got worse for him in the second essay when he missed a straighter one from Ajaz Patel on the fourth morning.

Rahane could only muster four runs and once the straight ball hit his pads, he was plumb in front of the stumps. The umpire didn’t have any hesitation in giving him out and the walk back left the whole management concerned as now his place in the side will be questioned more than ever.

Rahane’s poor run since Melbourne Test ton

India’s stand-in skipper led the team to a sensational Test series win in Australia earlier this year. But things have gone wrong for him a lot since then. Ajinkya Rahane led from the front to score a majestic century in the Melbourne Test to help India level the series after the shocking 36 all-out in Adelaide. However, since that Test, the man has mustered only 398 runs in 21 innings in the longest format.

During this period, Rahane could only score two half-centuries and has a score of 49 to show for him. He was expected to step up in the absence of the senior players in the ongoing Kanpur Test. But that hasn’t happened and the time might have come for the decision to be made for India. With Kohli returning and the World Test Championship Points at stake, will India risk playing their vice-captain again?

Meanwhile, calls to drop Ajinkya Rahane grew even more on Twitter as fans were not happy at all with his yt another low score.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Why interesting now because some players whom you endorse before the start of the match didn’t perform? Rahane, Ishant, Saha whom you said just because they are seniors should get the nod ahead of others although none of them peform recently

— Vick Gondara (@GondaraVick) November 28, 2021

@ImRo45 Jeet k haaarne waale ko #TeamIndia bolte hai😡😡, high time to replace #Rahane as a player, 51 lead nd u r on a spot of looossing a test that too givin wiket to pacers #ViratKohli #RohitSharma #RahulDravid #IndianCricket #INDvsNZ #INDvsNZTestSeries #BCCI

— vishal bansal (@vishalpbansal) November 28, 2021

I think it’s time we discuss Rahane replacement. #NZvIND

— Tweeter (@tweetersprints) November 28, 2021

Wth we lost 5 wickets that too in home turf!! Oh wait end of rahane and pujara! Thats it

— Roger_Virat (@RogerVirat) November 28, 2021

Told @AddyDaddy28 last night I trust Ashwin and Umesh more than Rahane in batting. Those 2 shots just show why.. Umesh and Ashwin are better batsman than Rahane right now. He's that awful

— Remember the name (@AngryYoungMan24) November 28, 2021

Rahane needs a break to get his form back
..

— कटप्पा, كطبباة (@RoastPolitics) November 28, 2021

Rahane,Pujara,Saha bahar hinge toh SKY ko jagah milsakta hai kya?

— DIVYARANJAN SAMAL (@ROHITIANooSKY77) November 28, 2021

Gill & Rahane need to be looked at seriously.

Pujara does have some defensive worth but should be replaced if possible.

So does VK as he gets on in age.

Time to infuse new blood from our rich talent pool. https://t.co/potSyRvzT1

— Yew's Finest (@FinestYew) November 28, 2021

Fans:- Rahane aur Pujara acha toh khel nhi rhe, agle match mai pakka drop honge #NzvsInd

Bcci:- pic.twitter.com/LWYTBFknsI

— Sarcaster 🇮🇳 (@sarcaster_) November 28, 2021

Abbe bhaad me jaaye Ehsan faramosh. Ek format khelte hai ye dono, phir bhi runs nahi banate. Rahane ko pehle Bhagao iss team se. Out of form players ko respect ke naate rakh rahe hain

— Abhishek Murali (@AbhishekMural14) November 28, 2021

Rahane jo koi nhi kar pata vo karne hi aata hai… https://t.co/EUobfinjoY

— … (@imcricfanatic) November 28, 2021

Ajinkya Rahane must play domestic to get back in form. #INDvNZ #IndianCricket #cricket

— Amit Samant (@amit_s9) November 28, 2021

Could be the last match for Pujji and Rahane. Good time to go and play a few Ranji Trophy games to get back in the groove

— Aditya Vyawahare (@adiv2711) November 28, 2021

India's management and Kohli should regret badly for not playing Shreyas Iyer till now and backing players like Pujara and Rahane for eternity. Please learn something @BCCI @imVkohli . Iyer can be at 3 and Gill at 5. Don't use too much brain and get the basics wrong😤 .

— Prem (@PremSathan) November 28, 2021