‘The journey is not always smooth sailing’ - Ajinkya Rahane shares emotional message after being selected in WTC final squad

India recently announced the squad that will be travelling to London to compete against Australia in the World Test Championship final that is scheduled to begin on June 7, 2023. One of the most notable names in the squad was the veteran Indian batter, Ajinkya Rahane. With sensational performances in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and being one of the best players for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy 2022–23, Rahane had well-earned a spot in the Indian squad that will take on Australia.

Notably, the flamboyant batter has not been in sublime touch in the ongoing IPL but he also had a stellar run in the domestic circuit as well. Out of the seven matches played, Rahane scored 634 runs with two centuries and one half-century, respectively, Moreover, the right-hander scored with an impressive average of 57.6.

Thereafter, under the charismatic leadership of MS Dhoni, Rahane has accumulated 209 runs in his five appearances for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) so far at an astonishing average of 52.25 with two fifties to his name. Furthermore, the CSK batter has maintained an emphatic strike rate of 199.04 in the IPL so far. In totality, these good consistent performances have reaped him rewards with a comeback into the Indian Test side for the all-important World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Consequently, after many experts lauded the 34-year-old for his selection in the WTC final, Rahane came forward to express his happiness over the same. The CSK batter also emphasized following the process rather than feeling low because of results which do not in favour of a player. Hence, in a career with its own ups and down, Rahane stayed focused. In the same vein, Ajinka Rahane shared an emotional post on his selection for the WTC final in the Indian Test squad.

"In my career as a professional cricketer, I have realised that the journey is not always smooth sailing. There are moments when things don't go as planned, and it becomes tempting to get bogged down by the result. However, I have learned that it is essential to stick to the process and not let the outcome affect our focus," Rahane wrote on his LinkedIn profile.

Let us keep working hard and keep pushing ourselves towards excellence: Rahane

Continuing upon the same, Ajinkya Rahane also stated that trusting the process and sticking through in bad situations has worked wonders for him in the past. He also stated that he hasn’t let the overwhelming pressure get to him throughout the course of his career.

"As someone who has been in the spotlight for several years, I know that the expectations can be overwhelming. However, I have learned to not let the pressure get to me and to focus on the things that I can control. It is the same advice that I would give to anyone who is looking to advance in their field," the Sangamner-born continued.

"So, let us all focus on the process and trust in our abilities. The results will follow, but until then, let us keep working hard and keep pushing ourselves towards excellence," Rahane concluded.