Salman Butt praises Virat Kohli for supporting Rahane after NZ series

Ajinkya Rahane has been having a torrid time of late. Despite being India’s vice-captain in the longest format of the game, he has been consistently inconsistent. So much so, that despite being backed by his captain and coach, several cricket fans and experts have been calling for his exclusion from the team.

The Mumbai batter scored his last century against Australia at the MCG, which came during the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21. Post that, he has been able to score in access of fifty just once. He struggled in the first Test against New Zealand as well.

As he scored 35 and 4 in the first and second innings respectively, there were talks of dropping India’s stand-in captain as well. In his last 16 Tests, the 33-year-old averages just 24.39. Yet his skipper recently made a statement saying that the outside noise regarding his deputy’s form isn’t going to impact the decision of the team management

One of the most valuable reasons behind Team India’s success under the captaincy of Virat Kohli is backing his players: Salman Butt

Despite Rahane’s lackluster form of late, Kohli still backed him to come good. This managed to impress the former Pakistan batter Salman Butt. He felt that this was the reason why the batting maestro has been such a successful skipper for India.

“One of the most valuable reason behind Team India’s success under the captaincy of Virat Kohli is backing his players, especially when they most need them. Not just Kohli, pick any good captain in world cricket, they will always back their proven player, who is now going through a lean phase. And when such players are backed during their time of struggle, with the amount of confidence the player gains they come out stronger and produce unthinkable results,” said Salman Butt while speaking on his YouTube channel.

The former Pakistan captain also spoke about the credentials of India’s number five batter in overseas conditions, and how he had successfully led the Indian side to a Test series victory in Australia, earlier this year.

“In cases when the player has top-class credentials, has helped script unbelievable victories, or has performed well under pressure, you have to back them.

And this is the reason why he is such a successful captain. He trusts his players, backs him through thick and thin. And that is why players respond. And he is the vice-captain of the Indian team, who led the Indian side to victory in Australia in the absence of Kohli and has performed as a batsman as well,” he added.