After being dropped from the ODI squad, Ajinkya Rahane to focus on red-ball cricket

It is not easy for a player to cement his spot in the playing XI. The talent in the country is so high that players have very little time to prove their worth to the squad. Even highly talented players are left out of the team after a string of poor performances. If a player wants to focus on all three formats, he needs to maintain very high fitness levels and adapt to the format very quickly.

Ajinkya Rahane is one of the most gifted players in India. He has the ability to bail his team out of tough situations in overseas conditions. Rahane is a player who is not flashy and does not slog a lot. He plays proper textbook shots and looks classy when he is in his groove. However, he hasn’t got too many opportunities on the national side of late. With Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma doing well in the limited overs, there is no space for Rahane to feature in the XI. He has not been selected for the ODI series against England.

Silver lining

Rahane feels that not being selected for the limited-overs leg against England is a blessing in disguise for him as he will have more time to prepare for the test matches. “It is important that you get time to prepare yourself and clarity is important when you know that you are not in ODI squad and you just going to play Test matches in England. I will get a good amount of time for the Afghanistan Test and after that for the England tour,” Rahane told reporters on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Awards.

Being axed from the team has not frustrated Rahane and he hopes to make a comeback into the ODI setup. He is working hard on his game and feels that he can make it to the World Cup squad in England next year.

“I still believe in myself. I did well in ODI cricket whenever I got my opportunities. In West Indies, I got man-of-the-series award (with four half-centuries). Against Australia, I did really well. In South Africa, the team management asked me to bat at No 4 and I did well, so it is just a matter of time. I am still confident that I will make a comeback and do well for my country in the shorter format,” the right-hander added.

Though Pakistan defeated England in the first test, India cannot take it lightly against them in their own backyard. England is lethal in home conditions and still have a long way to go before the series against India. Right now, India must focus on the one-off test against Afghanistan which is to be played on June 14. Rahane has been selected to lead the side in Kohli’s absence.

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