India coach Ravi Shastri defended the team management's decision to leave out Ajinkya Rahane from the first two Tests in South Africa, saying Rohit Sharma was the best option going by form.
One of the most successful Indian batsmen overseas in recent years, vice-captain Rahane was not picked for the Tests in Cape Town and Centurion, with the Indian team management preferring to go with limited-overs specialist Sharma on "current form".
But Sharma's failure to live up to the expectations and the Indian batting's inability to stand up to the South African pace attack in the preceding matches attracted widespread criticism, forcing the management to rethink about Rahane.
"If Ajinkya (Rahane) had played the first Test and not done well, you would have asked me the same question about why Rohit hasn't played. Rohit played, he didn't do well, so you are asking me why Ajinkya didn't play," a defiant Shastri told reporters when queried about the selection policy.
"The same would have happened with the fast bowlers. So, you have choices. The team management has discussed what is the best option. They stick by it and they go by it," Shastri said.
"Overseas, you go on current form, you go on conditions. You see which player can adapt to certain conditions quicker than the other," he added.
But if yesterday and today's practice sessions at the Wanderers were any indication, there is a possibility of Rahane's return to the playing XI for the inconsequential third Test starting on Wednesday.
The India coach said, on overseas tours, a team is forced to select their playing XI keeping conditions in mind.
"Chopping and changing overseas is easier. In India, you don't need to chop and change because you know what the conditions are and which bowler to play, as opposed to what kind of track you will get," Shastri said.
"Whether you need a bowler with bounce or you need a bowler with swing, so that's where the chopping and changing starts," he added.
Shastri also dismissed the criticism back home.
"Experts are meant to do a job. They can say what they want. It doesn't affect us. They have a job to do, so they are entitled to what they say," Shastri signed off.
Shastri's dig at experts came following former India opener Virender Sehwag's criticism of skipper Virat Kohli's selection policy.
After suffering a 72-run defeat in the first Test in Cape Town, India made three changes to their playing XI with K.L. Rahul replacing Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma coming in for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose three-wicket burst in the first morning of the opening Test had rocked the hosts.
And Sehwag did not mince words when he stated that Kohli "should drop himself" if he fails in the second Test against South Africa.
Shastri also said the Indian team should have landed in South Africa earlier to acclimatise and called for more preparatory time ahead of future overseas tours.
"Back home, we are familiar with conditions. Ideally we shouldn't have to fight back (at home), but we fought back and we did well. Here, conditions are different. In hindsight I would say another ten days of practice here would have made a difference," Shastri said after a practice session.
"But that's no excuse. The pitch we play on is the same for both sides and I would rather focus on the 20 wickets we have taken (in both Tests). That has given us a chance in both Tests to win games. If our top order can fire, this (third Test) will also be a good match," he added.
