“He started off very well in international cricket. He was left out when some of the senior players came in. It is a great opportunity [for him] to show the selectors that he can play in all forms of the game. He is doing that. He is working really hard. If he keeps performing like this, he has a bright future,” Dravid said.
The 23-year-old made his international debut against England in mid-2011, but has failed to make a place for himself in the international squad. However, his recent performances as an opener in the current season of the Indian Premier League for the Rajasthan Royals have been fairly remarkable, including a 98 off 66 against the Kings XI Punjab on April 6, and a 40 against the Mumbai Indians on April 11.
His most recent performance against the Kolkata Knight Riders, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, saw him forming a 45-run opening stand with Dravid, in addition to a contribution of 19 runs off 16 balls.
Aside from proving a solid and dependable opener for his side, he is currently the highest run-getter in the ongoing season of the IPL.
“IPL is semi-international and semi-domestic tournament. The selectors will definitely be watching [this tournament]. There are [some Indian] players who are performing [well] against international bowlers as well,” Dravid pointed out.
In addition to Rahane, the Rajasthan Royals feature a variety of new talent, including pacer Amit Singh, Ankeet Chavan, and youngster Ashok Menaria – all of whom are yet to play for the national side.
The winners of IPL 2008 failed to make a mark after their first season win, but got off to a promising start in the current season for IPL under the leadership of Rahul Dravid (Shane Warne had served as captain previously), winning the first two matches they played – a feat which propelled them to the top of the points table. However, two subsequent defeats, at the hands of the Mumbai Indians and the KKR respectively, have brought them down to 5th place.
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