Story of Ajinkya Rahane & His Comeback

Indian cricket is known to produce some of the best batters in the world and when it comes to the red-ball format, the Indian sub-continent has given legends to the longest format of cricket. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and Sunil Gavaskar are some of the best names who played for Team India in the Test format. 

Since the T20 format picked up the pace, there have been comparatively fewer players who had longevity in the Test format from India. However, in recent times, Ajinkye Rahane is one name who has emerged as the most dependable player from team India, who even made a comeback to the senior side, after getting dropped from the team for more than a year.

Rahane is known for his ability to play both spin and pace bowling with equal proficiency. He is a versatile batsman who can adapt to different situations and formats of the game. 

Rahane has a solid defense and plays with a straight bat, which allows him to negotiate challenging conditions and tough bowling attacks. He is particularly strong off the back foot, displaying excellent footwork and timing while playing shots square of the wicket.

One of Rahane’s notable traits is his ability to accumulate runs steadily and build partnerships. He is known for his patience and concentration at the crease, which enables him to occupy the crease for long periods. 

Rahane has showcased his temperament and resilience in challenging situations, often leading the Indian team to important victories.

Ajinkye Rahane – Test Debut

Ajinkya Rahane made his debut in Test cricket in March 2013, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between India and Australia at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi. His primary responsibility was to handle the innings in the middle order. However, he was unable to make an impact in his debut but his talent was displayed when team India was on a tour to South Africa to play 3 ODIs and 2 Test fixtures. He was part of the Test squad and in the second game, Rahane scored 51 in the first innings and in the second he reached 96 and in both innings, Rahane remained not out. Rahane finally gained the spotlight and became a crucial member of Team India.

He remained a consistent performer, contributing with important runs and displaying his ability to handle pressure situations. Rahane has also served as the captain of the Indian Test team in the absence of regular captain Virat Kohli, leading the team to notable victories.

Ajinkye Rahane – Lowest Point

Every player witnesses the lowest point in his career and after displaying exceptional performance for team India, Rahane witnessed the same. As 2021 began, Rahane saw a major dip in his performance and failed to score runs in 22 Test innings. His average also came down to 24.41 and when team India was on tour to South Africa, Rahane was replaced by Shreyas Iyer. 

Whatever the reason was for Rahane’s dip in form, BCCI and the selection committee made it clear that he won’t be part of the senior team from now on and will be considered for the same if his form improves in domestic cricket.

Ajinkye Rahane – Comeback

After playing domestic cricket for 2 years and staying away from the media attention, Rahane worked on himself and his batting. He needed motivation and guidance to make it back to the senior team. However, the Mumbai player got back on the radar of the selectors during the 2022-23 domestic season of cricket. More than that, Rahane showcased that he is still the best in what he does by playing exceptionally well in the Indian Premier League 2023 and improving his average to 32.60. 

BCCI and the selection committee were in awe of his performance in IPL and hence selected him for the World Test Championship final against Australia. Ajinkye Rahane will be a prime member of Team India shortly to handle things in the middle order in the longest format of the game.