<p>Travelling with the team for the past 15 months, Mumbai batsman Ajinkya Rahane is finally in line to earn a coveted Test cap as Shikhar Dhawan’s knuckle injury might have opened a spot in the Indian batting line-up for the fourth Test against Australia. <br /><br /></p>.<p>While skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had stated that it is unlikely that Dhawan’s injury will heal before Friday, the Indian cricket board has not announced any replacement for the injured Delhi lad who scored a brilliant 187 on debut in Mohali. <br /><br />While Rahane looks a straightforward replacement of Dhawan, the Mumbaikar might not open the innings with Murali Vijay as there is a chance to induct him in the middle-order. <br /><br />If sources are to be believed, Rahane has been earmarked strictly as a middle-order batsman and the team management might just want Cheteshwar Pujara to don the role of a stop-gap opener for the final Test match.</p>
<p>Travelling with the team for the past 15 months, Mumbai batsman Ajinkya Rahane is finally in line to earn a coveted Test cap as Shikhar Dhawan’s knuckle injury might have opened a spot in the Indian batting line-up for the fourth Test against Australia. <br /><br /></p>.<p>While skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had stated that it is unlikely that Dhawan’s injury will heal before Friday, the Indian cricket board has not announced any replacement for the injured Delhi lad who scored a brilliant 187 on debut in Mohali. <br /><br />While Rahane looks a straightforward replacement of Dhawan, the Mumbaikar might not open the innings with Murali Vijay as there is a chance to induct him in the middle-order. <br /><br />If sources are to be believed, Rahane has been earmarked strictly as a middle-order batsman and the team management might just want Cheteshwar Pujara to don the role of a stop-gap opener for the final Test match.</p>