I’ve delivered my best knocks in tough situations: Ajinkya Rahane

Following India’s back-to-back defeats to New Zealand at home, questions have been raised about the batting unit. In the first Test in Bengaluru, the Rohit Sharma-led side was bundled for only 46 runs in the first innings and in Pune, their batting unit struggled yet again, losing the game by 113 runs. That has brought Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara back into the conversation but both cricketers are currently not in the scheme of things and haven’t been picked for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

In the last edition of the marquee series in Australia, India were all-out for only 36 runs in Adelaide. After which, Rahane took control of the ship and led India to a historic 2-1 series victory. Speaking on playing in challenging times, Rahane noted that he thrives in situations and has always delivered his best knocks under pressure. He added that playing in conditions where the ball moves, seams or bounces, brings out the best in him.

“Wherever there are challenges, I love it. I have scored runs in those situations when the team was at 30/3, 20/3, or 50/3. From there, the team needs to reach a respectable score, and throughout my life, I've delivered my best knocks in these tough situations. I always loved challenges where the ball moves, seams, or bounces,” Rahane was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

Rahane has been omitted from India's squad for Australia tour

Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane played his last game for India in 2023 against West Indies. Since then, he has led Mumbai to Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup success but the selectors haven’t been impressed with his batting prowess.

Also Read: India squad for Border-Gavaskar Trophy, South Africa tour announced

The team has moved on from Pujara and Rahane to younger players as the likes of Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant have been given their responsibility. The Mumbai-born however remains optimistic and waiting for a chance to get back into the Indian team.