Ajinkya Rahane secures unique distinction of featuring in India's 500th Test and Mumbai's 500th Ranji match

Veteran Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane has emerged as one of the pillar stones of Indian cricket in the longest format of the game. He is one of the batting mainstays of the dominating Indian middle order in the format. Recently, Rahane turned up for his domestic side Mumbai in a historic fixture in the Ranji Trophy 2017-18. Ajinkya Rahane was drafted in the playing eleven of the Mumbai team for Mumbai’s historic 500th game in the tournament history.

Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, has been the most dominating side in the history of Ranji Trophy with 41 titles to their name. They have proven to be the team to beat in almost every edition of the tournament in the recent times as well. Certainly, they have come a long way.

Talking about Rahane, the middle-order veteran batsman etched his name in the record books the moment he took the field in the 500th Ranji fixture of Mumbai. Mumbai took on Baroda in the match that started on November 9. Ajinkya Rahane became the only player to have featured in both India’s 500th Test and in Mumbai’s 500th Ranji match.

Last year, team India had played their 500th Test when the New Zealand team had toured. The iconic 500th Test was played at Kanpur and Rahane was a part of it. Now, he is a part of another little piece of history in Indian cricket.

Not a happy hunting day

While he turned out to be the only one to have this unique distinction, the match did not yield sweet fruits for him on the day. He arrived at the crease in the very first over after Prithvi Shaw was sent back for a duck. Ajinkya Rahane played 5 deliveries before getting dismissed by A Sheth on a duck. Team Mumbai skittled out for a paltry 171 in the first innings and Baroda look in a commanding position in the game with 63/1 in their response.