‘Pujara & Rahane have become Purane’, claim Twitterati as Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane disappoint again

Pujara
scored
just
three
before
getting
dismissed
by
South
Africa’s
comeback
man
Duanne
Olivier
as
he
was
surprised
with
the
short-pitched
bouncer.
An
alert
Temba
Bavuma
took
a
simple
catch
at
short
cover
to
end
Pujara’s
knock
and
gave
India
their
second
jolt
in
the
first
innings.
Pujara
–
who
scored
a
golden
duck
and
16
in
the
Centurion
Test
–
never
looked
in
control.

Pujara’s
runs
since
2021:
50,
77,
25,
56,
73,
15,
21,
7,
0,
DNB,
17,
8,
15,
4,
12*,
9,
45,
1,
91,
4,
61,
26,
22,
0,
47,
0,
16,
&
3
(on
January
3
2022).

Team
India
–
who
are
already
missing
their
captain
Virat
Kohli
due
to
a
back
injury
–
suffered
a
massive
setback
when
senior
batsman
Rahane
was
dismissed
for
a
golden
duck
by
Olivier.
Rahane
–
who
stepped
into
the
middle
at
number
four
in
the
absence
of
Kohli
–
went
for
an
expansive
drive
on
the
away
going
delivery
from
the
pacer
and
was
caught
at
second
slip
by
Keegan
Petersen.
It
was
the
first
instance
when
Rahane
was
dismissed
for
a
golden
duck
in
his
Test
career.

Rahane’s
runs
since
2021:
22,
4,
37,
24,
1,
0,
67,
10,7,
DNB,
27,
49,
15,
5,
DNB,
1,
61,
18,
10,
14,
0,
35,
4,
48,
20,
0
(on
January
3
2022).

After
Rahane
scored
48
off
130
in
the
first
innings
of
the
Centurion
Test
and
managed
only
20
off
33
in
the
second
innings,
former
India
batsman
Sanjay
Manjrekar
criticised
the
right-handed
batter
from
Mumbai.

Manjrekar,
while
talking
to
ESPNCricinfo
ahead
of
the
second
Test
in
Johannesburg,
said,
“The
team
management
is
backing
Rahane.
India
have
won
the
first
Test,
and
Rahane
scored
48
runs
in
the
first
innings
as
well.
So
he
might
get
another
shot.
But
they
should
also
think
about
(Hanuma)
Vihari
and
Shreyas
Iyer.
The
more
chances
Rahane
gets,
the
fewer
chances
the
other
guys
will
have.
So
this
needs
to
be
discussed.”

“Pujara
and
Kohli’s
form
is
understandable
and
they
will
get
opportunities.
But
Rahane’s
poor
form
has
been
going
on
for
some
time
now.
So
there’ll
be
pressure
on
Rahane
to
keep
his
place
in
the
side,”
he
added.

Cricket
experts
and
enthusiasts
criticised
Rahane
and
Pujara
for
failing
to
leave
an
impression
in
a
big
game.
Many
even
claimed
that
this
could
very
well
end
the
careers
of
these
two
senior
cricketers.

Test
careers
of
Pujara
and
Rahane
on
the
brink

—
Cricketwallah
(@cricketwallah)

January
3,
2022

South
Africa’s
session
by
a
distance.
Careers
to
be
made
and
careers
hanging
by
a
thread…..

—
Harsha
Bhogle
(@bhogleharsha)

January
3,
2022

I
think
Pujara
&
Rahane
have
become
Purane.

—
Ramesh
Srivats
(@rameshsrivats)

January
3,
2022

33
year
old
Cheteshwar
Pujara
scores
3(33)
batting
at
No.3
on
the
3rd
day
of
3rd
year
of
3rd
decade
of
the
3rd
millennium.

—
Kausthub
Gudipati
(@kaustats)

January
3,
2022

Impressive
from
the
South
African
bowlers.
The
wicket
seemed
coming.
Another
blow
for
Pujara
this
innings.

#INDvSA

—
Boria
Majumdar
(@BoriaMajumdar)

January
3,
2022

Last
legs.
Both
Pujara
and
Rahane

#INDvsSA

—
Vikrant
Gupta
(@vikrantgupta73)

January
3,
2022

This
was
Ajinkya
Rahane’s
first
golden
duck
of
his
Test
career.

—
Mufaddal
Vohra
(@mufaddal_vohra)

January
3,
2022

Then
there
were
some
who
trolled
Pujara-Rahane:

No
score
is
bigger
than
friendship.
Rahane
got
out
even
before
we
start
criticizing
Pujara.
A
true
friend
shielding
another.
❤

#SAvIND

—
Silly
Point
(@FarziCricketer)

January
3,
2022

Rahane
and
Pujara
right
now

pic.twitter.com/ccwYBgUvty

—
Rajasthani
Memer
4.0
(@Memes_Raj)

January
3,
2022

Ajinkya
Rahane
when
he
meets
Cheteshwar
Pujara
playing
in
Ranji
matches
against
him
after
the
South
Africa
series!#SAvIND
pic.twitter.com/suy5pEDeKu

—
Vishal
Verma
(@VishalVerma_9)

January
3,
2022