‘I thought I played well in that WTC final’: Ajinkya Rahane on getting dropped months after 2023 final | Cricket News
While it has been close to 18 months since Ajinkya Rahane last played Test cricket for India, the 36-year-old has not been in the Indian selectors’ scheme of things in Test cricket at present. While the Mumbai batsman was the top scorer for India with a total of 135 runs in the World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval in 2023, a final which India lost 209 runs, Rahane was appointed India’s vice-captain for the West Indies tour. The Mumbai batsman was dropped after the West Indies tour and has not played in a Test match for India since then. Rahane smashed a second innings’ century against Haryana in Mumbai’s win in the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals at Kolkata and the batsman remembered the WTC final performance saying he has been batting well at present.
“I am not thinking about the future at all. But I do know that I am batting well. I had a good performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. This Ranji Trophy season is going well too. I batted nicely in the World Test Championship final in 2023 too. After that, I got dropped. Being selected or not selected is another matter, and the job of the selectors. But I thought I played well in that WTC final.” Rahane told reporters after Mumbai’s win.
Rahane had scores of 8 and 3 in the two Tests against West Indies post the WTC final and did not bat during two innings during the two-Test tour. This year, Rahane was the highest scorer in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy amassing 469 runs at a strike rate of 164.56. The right-handed batsman, who has played in 85 Tests for India amassing 5077 runs, has amassed 437 runs with an average close to 40 in Ranji Trophy this season. “In all this, I feel I have a lot of cricket left in me. That’s why I am playing domestic cricket consently. I just have one goal right now, and that is to play cricket with a positive mindset, and whatever happens after that, happens. Domestic cricket has given me everything. I still have that jazba(passion) within me. Before any match, I still have that desire and hunger that I possessed earlier. I don’t know about the future, but I do know I am far from done. That’s why I have been giving my 100% in domestic cricket,” Rahane told reporters.
Rahane was picked up for Rs 1.5 crore Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL Mega auction last year. The Mumbai batsman has been in contention for the captaincy of Kolkata Knight Riders and shared his thoughts over the issue. “They have not chatted about KKR captaincy with me at all. If they’d have spoken, you journals would’ve known about it and you guys would’ve been the ones informing me. Until then, I’ll not bother checking my phone. I have had to see a lot of different challenges. I have captained before, and I have found myself in a variety of situations over the years. I know how to handle any situation in front of me. That’s why I am always ready for whatever is thrown at me,” said Rahane.
