Ajinkya Rahane proved his mettle and showed the cricketing world what he is capable off after rescuing India from a precarious position in the ongoing World Test Championship against Australia at the Oval.
When the chips were down, Rahane rose to the occasion with a phenomenal knock and steered India from a precarious 152/6 to a respectable total of 296 and evaded a potential follow-on on Rohit Sharma's brigade after top-order collapse. While salvaging India's pride Rahane struck a spellbinding 89 off 129 balls riding on 11 fours and a six and Shardul played an impressive knock of 51 off 109 which was decorated with six boundaries as the duo weaved together a crucial 109-run partnership for seventh wicket.
Rahane's comeback
It wasn't easy for Rahane, who played his last Test match back in January 2022. He gave a befitting reply to all the critics who questioned his talent. The Mumbaikar went through the grind and proved his batting prowess in the domestic cricket and scripted his comeback. He also turned heads with a different avatar in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League while playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). With some incredible knocks he played an instrumental role in helping MS Dhoni's CSK lift their fifth IPL title. In 14 matches, Rahane amassed 326 runs at a stunning strike rate of 172.49 riding on two half-centuries. Rahane's brilliance caught the attention of selectors and was thus included in the India's squad for the ultimate WTC final against Australia.
Rahane credits CSK
Meanwhile, after his batting heroics at the Oval, Rahane credited CSK in a conversation with India's spin legend Harbhajan Singh.
After the close of Day 3's play, Harbhajan on Star Sports asked Rahane,"Was there an influence of Chennai Super Kings in that knock?"
Rahane came up with a million dollar reply and said,"Of course. I really enjoyed my stay at CSK."
Many former cricketers including Ravi Shastri heaped praise on Rahane. The former India head coach also believes Rahane's stay at CSK in IPL 2023 scripted his comeback.
"He played domestic cricket, didn’t give up. Waited for his opportunity and I think, in many ways, this IPL has been a sort of liberation for him. It’s allowed him to come out of his comfort zone and play in the manner he has been playing now, freely. There are no cobwebs in the mind, all those have been cleared. He comes out and plays his natural game," Shastri said.
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