Ajinkya Rahane, who was once celebrated for his reliability in India's middle-order along with Cheteshwar Pujara, has been warming the bench despite impressive performances in the past two years. Rahane's captaincy for India's record Test series win against Australia and his century in the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final had put him in the reckoning. However, post-WTC, he was left out of the Indian team.
Now, while leading Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, Rahane has been in excellent touch, taking his team to the semi-finals with a vital century. In his past ten games, he has a century, three 90s, and one 80. This consistent performance indicates that he is set to make a comeback to the national Test team.
Rahane on His Domestic Performance and National Team Comeback
Talking about his career, Rahane was happy with his performances in domestic cricket, particularly in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Ranji Trophy.
"I am happy with my batting in domestic cricket. Scoring runs in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Ranji matches has been satisfactory. I am hoping to make a comeback to the international team, but that is not my decision," Rahane expressed.
Talking about his exclusion post-WTC, he stated, "I played well in the last WTC final and even scored a century, but I was dropped after that. Why I was not selected is for the selectors to decide. I feel I gave a quality performance there."
Dedication to the Game Remains Unwavering
Rahane reasserted his unyielding passion for cricket in spite of the disappointments. "When I lost the opportunity to play for the national team, domestic cricket gave me a platform. I am ready to give my everything for it. My passion for the game is the same, and I have a lot of respect for Test cricket," he averred.
For the future, Rahane remains in the present. "I am not able to look into the future, but I sense there is still cricket in me. My mind is fully on the game. There's still time for the five-Test series against England in June. For the time being, my mind is on the Ranji Trophy semi-finals," he asserted.
