Ajinkya Rahane has long been a vital pillar of the Indian cricket team, particularly on foreign soil, where he has often helped salvage innings in challenging situations. His captaincy during India’s historic Test series win in Australia is still fresh in the minds of cricket enthusiasts. Under his leadership, India achieved a 2-1 victory in Australia for the second time in Test history. However, his career has seen a downturn since then, and he has struggled to secure a spot in the national team.
The Struggle for Return
Rahane, often labeled as a Test specialist, has been sidelined from the format for an extended period. Nonetheless, he has been tirelessly working towards his comeback. After participating in domestic cricket in India, he has turned towards playing in England’s domestic tournament to regain form. Unfortunately, he faced a significant setback in the first innings of the County Championship Division 2.
Disappointing Performance in County Championship
Ajinkya Rahane also participated in the One Day Cup in England, where he represented Leicestershire. Over the course of 10 matches, he delivered commendable performances, scoring 378 runs at an average of 42, making him the third-highest run-scorer for his team with four half-centuries to his name, albeit without scoring a century.
With the County Championship now underway, Leicestershire faced Gloucestershire on August 22nd. Winning the toss, Gloucestershire opted to bowl first. Leicestershire found themselves in a precarious position at 77 runs for two wickets when Rahane came in at number four. Unfortunately, he could not make a significant impact, departing for just 12 runs off 28 balls after misreading a delivery from Dominic Goodman, which led to a brilliant one-handed catch by Cameron Bancroft at slip.
Challenges to Return to the National Team
It has been over a year since Rahane last played a match for Team India. He did not get the opportunity to participate in the series against South Africa or England. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has opted to provide opportunities to younger players during this period. Consequently, Rahane currently appears to be outside the plans of the team management for upcoming Test series.
Before his recent failure in the County Championship, Rahane scored a mere 8 runs against the West Indies. Despite being the third-highest run-scorer for India during the Australian tour, he managed only 268 runs at an average of 38 across 8 innings. Moreover, his performance in the domestic circuit hasn’t been impressive; during the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, he averaged just 12 runs, accumulating only 141 runs in 8 matches.
Conclusion
Ajinkya Rahane’s journey in cricket exemplifies resilience and dedication. While he has faced significant hurdles in recent years, the desire to return to peak form and the national team remains strong. Whether or not he can overcome these challenges will depend on his performances in upcoming matches.
