Ajinkya Rahane Prepared For Australia Tour By Taking Blows On His Body During Practice Sessions: Pravin Amre

The accolades for India’s stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane hasn’t stopped yet as his hundred helped India level the four-match series in Melbourne. Ajinkya Rahane’s hundred in the first innings was significant in handing the tourists a healthy lead and their tidy bowling performances throughout the game was equally credible. Pravin Amre recalled the 32-year old copping blows during practice sessions.

Ajinkya Rahane’s 12th Test hundred helped India take a 130-run lead in the first innings after bowling out 195. The tourists not only sustained an eight-wicket defeat in the first Test but also were without Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami, weakening their side. However, Ajinkya Rahane marshalled his troops brilliantly to deliver a much-needed victory in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Pravin Amre revealed that Ajinkya Rahane was on his own during the practice sessions, asking the throw-down person to bowl in different areas and the various types. Amre highlighted that Rahane knew there would be phases in Australia when he has to take blows to survive those and was fine to have those in practice sessions.

“Ajinkya was on his own (during practise sessions). He knew what he was doing and he was asking my throw-down person to bowl him in this and that area, he wanted to practise for this type of a ball. He made sure that he will have less reaction time when he was going to prepare in those practise sessions. He was ready to take the blows on the body because he was aware that there will be sessions in Australia where he has to take blows on his body to survive that session,” Amre said as quoted by India Today.

I was really glad to see how Ajinkya Rahane was preparing: Pravin Amre

The 52-year old felt delighted to see the preparation Rahane underwent and found success only because he prepared well before every tour.

“I think that’s what he did before going and I was really glad to see how he was preparing, because Ajinkya’s story is that he was successful only because he prepared really well before each and every tour,” he added.

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