Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane has expressed confidence in opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s abilities ahead of India’s five-match Test series in England, which begins at Headingley on Friday. This comes a month after rumors of a rift between the Mumbai teammates during the last Ranji Trophy season.Rahane, who hasn’t played for India in two years since facing West Indies, shared his thoughts through his YouTube channel about the upcoming series and key players.“Personally, I’m really looking forward to seeing Yashasvi Jaiswal do well because opening the batting in England is really important. He has the game for it — he can control one end and also go on the attack when needed. So I’m really looking forward to seeing Jaiswal perform in England.”Reports from April suggested a fallout between Jaiswal and Rahane following Mumbai’s defeat to Jammu and Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy. Jaiswal has been India’s first-choice opener since his Test debut in the Caribbean in July 2023.
Rahane also emphasized the importance of the pace bowling duo in the series. “I also want to see Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah do well because, as senior campaigners, they have the responsibility to lead the attack and pick up wickets for the team.”“We all know Bumrah is an excellent bowler and a proven wicket-taker, but I’d like to see him take that extra responsibility and help the team get through challenging situations, because winning a Test series in England is always very special.”Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?India’s Test success in England has been rare, with only three series victories in 1971, 1986, and 2007 since bilateral engagements began in 1932.Shubman Gill will captain the Indian team in this series, and Rahane shared his thoughts on the young leader’s new role. “I think it’s going to be a challenging task for Shubman because in Test cricket I always believe you have to be proactive as a captain. I’m sure Shubman will do well, but it will take time because captaining in T20s and ODIs is completely different.”
“In the Test format, sometimes you have to stay one or two steps ahead of your opponents, talk to your bowlers, and plan things with them. So, it’s going to be a challenging task for him, but I’m sure he will do well as both a skipper and a batter.”Rahane, who led India to a memorable Test series victory in Australia in 2020-21, believes the current team has the potential to succeed in English conditions.
