Border Gavaskar Trophy 2018: 5 Key players for India in series 

#2 Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane scored a century at the MCG in 2014

Ajinkya Rahane, who was considered India's most reliable Indian batsman in overseas conditions not so long ago, has been struggling for form of late. He was dropped from the playing XI for the first two Test matches in South Africa, but scripted a strong comeback, making successful contributions in winning cause for India in the third and final Test match at Johannesburg.

However, his form dipped once again in England. The Indian vice-captain scored 257 runs in five matches (10 innings), with 2 half centuries. He failed to score in the one-off test match against Afghanistan as well.

Rahane was in a rich vein of form during the 2014 series in Australia, where he showed his class by scoring 399 runs in four matches (eight innings), with his best score of 147. He recorded a century and two half-centuries to his name in the series.

He must prove his mettle once again this time around, as the stakes are higher than ever – for himself, as well as for the team!