Ajinkya Rahane burst into the public conscious being India's perennial drink carrier who was sidelined due to one reason or the other despite being backed by a mountain of runs in the domestic arena. But a lucky break ensured India had unearthed a gem of a player who went on to score runs on the most challenging surfaces bailing the team out of precarious situations and earning the adulation of fellow players and fans all around the world.
THE RISE :
Ajinkya Rahane was born in Ashwi KD, Ahmednagar. He was introduced to the world of cricket by his father who took him to a coaching camp with a matting wicket in Dombivli as it was all they could afford back then. He started to train under former India player Pravin Amre when he was 17 and rose quickly through the ranks with his consistent run scoring.
His first tryst with the #internationalstage came on India's U-19 tour to #NewZealand where he scored 2 centuries, which helped him get selected for the Mohammad Nissar trophy against Pakistan where he went on to score a century on debut.
Continuing in the same vein he scored an impressive 172 in #DuleepTrophy against a strong England Lions bowling attack which paved the way for his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2007-08 season. He grabbed the opportunity with both hands scoring 1089 runs in his second season thereby guiding Mumbai to their 38th title win.
He continued to be a run machine in the domestic circuit raking up big numbers and carried that impressive run of form into the Emerging Players tournament in Australia which brought him into national reckoning and he was deservingly awarded a place in the limited overs squad for the tour of England.
He started off his international journey in T20 arena compiling a fluent 61 at the top of the order and followed it up with a stroke-filled 40 on his ODI debut showcasing his versatility and skills at the highest level. But it was the longest format which tested his patience and self-confidence as he was made to wait for 16 long months after being in the squad to be awarded the coveted Test cap.
After a poor debut against Australia at home, he found himself in the Playing XI in India's tour of South Africa. He stamped his authority and class on the Protean soil with some memorable knocks scoring 209 runs at an average of 70 against the best bowling attack in the world at their home conditions. The tour will always be remembered for his feisty 96 on a bouncy Durban pitch with no support from any of his teammates. Though India went on to lose the series they had unearthed a gem who was to become the rock of the middle order for years to come.
International Debut:
Rahane didn't have to wait for his maiden Test hundred when he reached the three-figure mark on a seaming Basin Reserve wicket at Wellington against the Kiwis. A player who was made to warm the benches had scripted a remarkable turnaround to being an automatic selection in the longest format.
He further justified his tag of India's most dependable batsman overseas having a great tour of England. On a green track at Lords Rahane compiled a patient 103 ensuring a mention in the Lords honours board and carrying his team to victory after 28 long years. He looked quite at home against the swinging ball and was good enough to put a price on his wicket everytime he was at the middle.
After rocking the swinging conditions Rahane conquered the pace and bounce Down Under scoring 399 runs in 4 matches including a magnificent 147 at WACA completing his dominance over the SENA countries.
STRUGGLES AT HOME AND IN LIMITED OVERS:
For a batsman of Rahane's calibre who has dominated the foreign conditions, it is surprising that he has found it tough to rake up similar numbers in the tailor-made batting pitches at home. It can be attributed to his inferior technique of playing the turning ball. He lacks decisive footwork to counter the spinning ball and is caught fending with hard hands resulting in his downfall.
Despite being India's rock in the Test side Rahane hasn't been able to replicate his success in coloured clothing. It has been marked by some highs followed by a lot of lows and this trend has repeated throughout his career.
He has been accused of being unable to rotate the strike during the middle overs and having a high dot ball percentage which builds up the pressure on him and his batting partner and he invariably ends up losing his wicket more often than not. He does get a chance once in a while in ODI's but his poor record and better teammates ensure he has never been able to make a spot his own.
IPL:
Ajinkya Rahane had been picked for his home side Mumbai in the initial IPL's and got limited opportunities to showcase his abilities but it was his move to Rajasthan Royals mentored by Rahul Dravid that gave wings to his versatility. In IPL 2012 Rahane was the leading run scorer with a century to boot and the holder of the orange cap. He had made some tweaks to his technique guided by Dravid that helped him flourish in the shortest format. He played for Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2016-17 season but was brought back by Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 season using the Right to Match card.
BATTING STYLE:
Rahane is blessed with a compact technique and calm head. He plays the ball late under his eyeliner makes him successful in swinging conditions. He has a subtle blend of timing artistry and aggression which has helped him flourish as a batsman and master alien conditions. He is particularly good in the covers and straight down the wicket against the seamers and makes good use of the inside out aerial shot against the spinners. He has a front on stance which helps him quickly shift his weight and play the short ball without any difficulty. He has been praised by Steve Waugh for having a technique similar to Sachin Tendulkar and predicted great things for the Mumbai boy.
WAY AHEAD:
The name Ajinkya means #invincible and he perfectly justifies his name with a #indomitablespirit and a calm head on his shoulders. Going through a rough patch the man has to draw every ounce from his mental reserves to make his opportunities count and soar on to greater heights.
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