For team management Rahane is opening batsman: Rohit

TIL Desk Sports/ His technique against pacers was solely missed on a seaming track here and India stand-in- skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that accommodating Ajinkya Rahane was tough as he is considered a specialist opening batsman in the 50-over format by the team management.

Rahane, who scored four successive half-centuries against Australia, was left out of the playing XI in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, while Shreyas Iyer was handed a maiden cap at No. 3 and Manish Pandey was picked for the No. 5 slot.”I think we made it clear in Sri Lanka that he is an opening batsman and we don’t want to keep changing his batting slot. It plays on anyone’s mind not just his, if one’s batting order is kept on changing.

“We have identified him as an opening batsman and that’s the only reason he had to sit out. Having said that we understand the runs he scored in the past few series. But we wanted to give these guys Pandey, (Kedar) Jadhav, Iyer fair amount of game before we start touring abroad. It’s important that they take the opportunity,” said Rohit at the post match press conference after India went down by seven wickets. After India were bundled out for 112 in 38.2 overs, the islanders crossed the target in 20.4 overs.