Mumbai cricket team captain Ajinkya Rahane heaped praise on his teammate and India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of the England series. His remarks come months after reports alleged a rift between the duo which initially forced the southpaw to decide on moving to Goa. However, Jaiswal back-tracked a month earlier, requesting Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to permit him to continue playing for the side in domestic cricket.
Rahane heaps praise on Jaiswal
In a video on his YouTube channel, Rahane claimed that he was looking forward to seeing Jaiswal do well in England. The veteran explained that the southpaw had the ability to attack from one end while also control the game, as per the requirements. Rahane stressed that opening the batting was extremely important for the team in England and hence Jaiswal would play a crucial role.
“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,” Rahane said.
Alleged tiff between the duo
As per India Today, the relationship between Rahane and Jaiswal was “untenable”, with the southpaw finally becoming fed up of the constant scrutiny in the team. The report claimed that the “friction” between the two started in 2022 when Rahane – then West Zone captain – had sent Jaiswal off the field for sledging South Zone player Ravi Teja too much.
The report further stated that Mumbai captain Rahane and coach Omkar Salvi had questioned Jaiswal’s commitment after his twin failures in the Ranji Trophy second leg game against Jammu & Kashmir earlier this year. The southpaw reportedly kicked Rahane’s kitbag in anger.
