It may seem far-fetched at the moment, but Ajinkya Rahane still hopes to make a comeback to international cricket. The national selectors may have put their trust in a young batch of players, but the 36-year-old, who last played for India in the West Indies almost two years ago, believes he is fit and can still contribute to the team. A day before the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Vidarbha, at a stage when two big knocks can again put his name in contention ,the Mumbai skipper spoke to Devendra Pandey about his desire, and how tough it was for him to watch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home.
EXCERPTS:
Obviously, I’m more experienced, but still feel young. I’m fit enough to compete at the highest level. I am passionate and love this game. There is hunger to do well. I never get satisfied with my game and don’t take things for granted. The fire is still burning inside me to play at the highest level. I feel there’s more cricket left in me.
I was always shy, now I have opened up. My focus has been to play cricket and go home. Nobody told me that going ahead, certain things will be needed. Today also, sometimes I feel ki bus cricket khelo, ghar jao. Now I am told I need to speak up, talk about my hard work. People say you need to be in the news … I don’t have a PR team, my only PR is my cricket. I have now realised that staying in the news is important. Otherwise, people think that I’m out of the circle.
Test cricket. There is still fire and passion in me. I’m playing Ranji Trophy at the moment, trying to give my all to the Mumbai team. The goal is clear to make another comeback. When I was dropped a few years ago, I made runs and was picked for the World Test Championship final and then was dropped again. But what is in my control? To play.
I did well in domestic cricket and in the IPL, and was called again. Whenever an experienced player makes a comeback, one knows that he will get 2-3 series. I knew that South Africa was a challenging series and I was expecting a call, but I wasn’t picked. I felt bad because I have been serving for so long.
The number which I used to bat, whatever contributions I made were crucial. Post Covid, there has been a drastic drop in batting averages of everyone because of the kind of pitches we played on. Only the top order has the advantage on such tracks. I am not giving excuses. I don’t have any regrets because I know whenever the team wanted me to deliver, I did. Contributions are not necessarily in the form of big hundreds, it could be a 70, 80 or 50.
That’s the sad part. For me, it’s not about the runs, it’s about the contribution. As a batsman, one wants to score big runs but don’t forget the conditions one is playing in. I’m not the one who will go and scream, criticise pitches, because every team has a strategy and that’s how pitches are being prepared. But the reality is that the averages have gone down for top players too. It’s not only us but globally, everyone has struggled. This is the reality about which we don’t talk in public.
I’m not the person who will go and ask why I’m being dropped. There was no communication. Many said ‘go and talk’ but one can only talk when the other person is ready to talk. If he is not ready, there is no point fighting. I wanted to talk one on one. I never messaged. I felt odd when I was dropped after the WTC final because I had worked hard for it. I thought I would be there for the next series. There is no point cribbing. I can only do what is in my hands. There is a belief that I will make a comeback.
I was very happy with it. I was moving well. My fitness was good. I improved my shots.
When I came back after BGT, I knew that I was captain for that period only and will be back to being vice-captain. There was no thought that ahead there would be a bumpy ride.
Maybe. We won because of a team and not because I was captain. There could be one decision which I made that went right, but it was a team effort.
I never thought of it. I always think that every action will have its reaction. My friends said I should be in the media, keep talking to them as the team won under you, but I feel joh hona hai woh hoga.
Yes. Previously, I was dropped despite doing well. So somewhere I feel I can still serve the Indian team. Cricket is still left in me.
If you ask me, I can still give my best and my intentions are good. For me, it’s all about the country.
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.
Yes. 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.
He was special and a warrior, who never gave up.
As a batsman, one can play till 40. There are players who have played till the age of 39-40. What matters is fitness. We need more experienced players, plus a few youngsters, in the team. So that they can learn. We grew by watching seniors and all of them played till 39-40. When we got an opportunity, we did well. Hunger is key, and the right attitude.
When I came into the team, I learnt by watching seniors. I was benched for around two years. There was hardly any time when I got to bat at the nets. Now every member gets a chance to bat at the nets, but in my early days, only those who were playing used to get a chance. I used to visualise watching them. We can’t go and ask for batting practice. Now things have changed. One used to get batting after five days. We were lucky that (VVS) Laxman, Rahul (Dravid) and Sachin (Tendulkar) bhai were around. The only thing they used to tell us was to be humble. Whatever you are doing, first ask yourself, is it necessary? If yes, do it. All three were the same in terms of thinking.
I used to come from Dombivali, the train journey was the most challenging for me and I used to travel alone from the age of 8 because my father had to go to office. I come from a lower- middle-class family. My mother used to babysit to earn extra money because my father’s salary wasn’t enough to make ends meet. Those memories are in my mind and that is why I try to be grounded. This fame and money has come only due to this game.
I don’t like to go into their personal space but as a leader, if I feel I need to tell them anything, I will. I have seen players with talent but wrong choices and wrong friends took them astray. It’s important not to forget where we all come from. Many times when a player is having a great run, you see people with them. Suddenly, if things go wrong, the same people vanish. So it is important to know who your true friends are.
I never have. I knew this money was coming because of my cricket. This is where my family values came in. They never said don’t spend, but they only said if it’s needed, do it. I bought a car very late in my life, I used to take a lift from Nilesh Kulkarni, Avishkar Salvi or Pravin Tambe. I bought a second-hand WagonR when I played for India. People said bada car le but for me it was about travelling in comfort. I wanted to invest wisely. After two years, I bought a Honda City.
I don’t think so. At least, I’m playing cricket. My attitude is the same once I cross the rope, be it for a franchise, Mumbai or for India. Mumbai has given me everything and it’s my duty.
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