“I just want to start afresh and keep doing whatever I have been doing,” Ajinkya Rahane
Back in India colors after nearly 18 months, senior batter Ajinkya Rahane doesn’t want to feel “regret” for the time that was missed and plans to bat with the same “intent” in the World Test Championship final against Australia as he did in the recently finished IPL.
Back in India colors after nearly 18 months, senior batter Ajinkya Rahane doesn’t want to feel “regret” for the time that was missed and plans to bat with the same “intent” in the World Test Championship final against Australia as he did in the recently finished IPL.
“Coming back after 18-19 months, whatever has happened, good or bad, I don’t want to think about my past. I just want to start afresh and keep doing whatever I have been doing,”
Rahane told BCCI.TV on the sidelines of India’s training session.
“Personally enjoyed playing for CSK as I have been batting well throughout the season, even before IPL. I had a very good domestic season and I felt good. So this comeback was a bit emotional for me.”
Rahane, who played for CSK that won the fifth IPL championship, has already received a lot of praise for his aggressive batting style and higher strike rate in T20 matches. His 27-ball 61 against the Mumbai Indians in particular demonstrated a change in attitude.
“I want to bat with the same mindset and show the same intent that I showed before coming here in IPL and Ranji Trophy. I would not like to think about format whether it is T20 or Tests. The way I am batting now, I don’t want to complicate things and the more I keep it simple, the better it is for me,”
the veteran of 82 Tests and 4,931 runs said.
The man, who led India to the most talked-about series triumph in Australia, back in 2021, also lauded Rohit Sharma for leading the team admirably for the better part of this WTC cycle.
“I thought culture in the team now is really good. Rohit is handling the team well and I am sure Rahul Bhai is also handling the team well. That helps as well and the atmosphere is really good. Whatever I am seeing right now is that everyone is enjoying each other’s company,”
he said.
Rahane expressed his gratitude to his family and friends for their support while he was away from the national squad.
“It was (an) emotional moment for me. When I got dropped, the support I got from my family was massive and my dream was to play for India and that was massive. Playing for India matters a lot for me and I worked hard on my fitness and went back to domestic cricket.”
“Thanks to BCCI and selectors and when I went back to domestic cricket, the goal was to play for India — be it Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy or practice session, for me, every day that I was waking up, it was all about thinking that I can play for India again.
“What made my comeback possible was enjoying every moment, be it success or failure, and having no regrets. Learning from every individual in the Mumbai Ranji team. You have to grow as a cricketer every single day, the learning process shouldn’t stop,” he said.
Rahane, who made a match-winning hundred in a Test match at Lord’s back in 2014, believes that playing in England is challenging
“It’s all about mindset and reading the situation well, staying in (the) moment and playing it session by session. In England, you just don’t look at the pitch but also keep an eye on the weather. In England, you never feel that you are in even if you are batting on 70,” he said.
