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Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane addresses a press conference on the eve of the Ranji Trophy semi-final cricket match between Mumbai and Vidarbha, in Nagpur. (PTI)Not just Ajinkya Rahane himself, but according to the veteran, people he meets during his travels and assignments also believe he should be in the Indian Test team. This, he says, motivates him to give another shot at an international comeback and not take the option of becoming a television pundit.
“Be it airport, hotel, security check, ground, county cricket, everywhere I have gone, they all said: Ajju bhai, aapko team mein hona chahiye. It feels nice. It motivates me to give it a try, at least I would have given my best in the last few years of my career,” Rahane told The Indian Express.
Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane during a practice session on the eve of the Ranji Trophy semi-final cricket match between Mumbai and Vidarbha, in Nagpur. (PTI)
But irrespective of whether or not he returns to international cricket, Rahane will forever be remembered for leading an Indian team missing several of its first-choice stars to a comeback series win for the ages in Australia in 2020-21. That too, after being knocked over for 36 in the first Test. His tempo-setting hundred in the second Test in Melbourne gave the team belief.
“When I came back after BGT, I knew that I was captain for that period only and will be back to being vice-captain,” he said.
With memories of that incredible achievement in his mind, it was all the more difficult for Rahane to watch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this time round from home. But he didn’t take the easy option of a television contract as a cricket expert.
“ Yes (it was tough). I got an offer to become an expert. It was easy and good money but within me, a person is saying I still can (play). Getting picked or not is not in my hands. Down the line, I don’t want a situation where I feel that yeh expert assignment mein baad mein bhi le sakta tha. I could have given one last push,” he explained his thought process.
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