IND vs SA: Watch - Ajinkya Rahane Shares Batting Video A Day After India's Crushing Defeat In 1st Test
Published - 29 Dec 2023, 05:15 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 10:20 AM
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Ajinkya Rahane posted a batting video a day after India’s crushing loss in the first Test against South Africa. Ajinkya Rahane’s batting practice video went viral on social media following India’s disappointment in their attempt to win a Test series on South African soil.
The South African side dominated India in the first Test of the two-match series at Centurion, securing victory by an innings and 32 runs. The Rohit Sharma-led team struggled to cross the 250-run mark in both innings, posting scores of 245 and 131 in the series opener.
Former cricketers and social media users have pointed out that India might feel the absence of Ajinkya Rahane’s experience in the middle order. Rahane’s presence in the Indian batting lineup could’ve often helped steer the team out of challenging situations in the match.
No Rest Days – Anjinkya Rahane
In a video shared on his X (formerly known as Twitter), Ajinkya Rahane was spotted training hard in the nets in Mumbai. The experienced middle-order batter shared a brief clip of his net practice, emphasizing his dedication with the caption, “No rest days.”
No rest days ? pic.twitter.com/EM218MqMhK
— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) December 29, 2023
Rahane’s last appearance for India was during the West Indies tour in July earlier this year, where he managed only 11 runs across two innings. Prior to that series, the batter impressed during the World Test Championship (WTC) final with scores of 89 and 46.
Ajinkya Rahane Showed What The Indian Team Had Missed – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar expressed displeasure over Ajinkya Rahane’s absence, emphasizing his past performances. Gavaskar recalled Rahane’s crucial contribution in the Johannesburg Test five years ago, highlighting his ability to excel in challenging conditions.
“People have been talking about the pitch in Johannesburg Test five years back and I was there. Yeah it wasn’t the easiest of pitches to bat on, the odd ball was climbing up. And Ajinkya Rahane, who had not been picked for the first two Test matches, was picked for that game and he showed what the Indian team had missed,” Gavaskar said.
“Because earlier on in the first couple of Test matches, India did not lose by big margins. So maybe somebody with Rahane’s experience overseas… because Rahane overseas has been such a fine, fine player and maybe if he had been there today, the story could have been completely different,” he added.
Ajinkya Rahane To Represent Mumbai In Upcoming Ranji Trophy
The 35-year-old was initially dropped for the opening two matches during India’s tour of South Africa in 2018-19. However, Rahane was named in the lineup for the third Test in Johannesburg. He scored 48 on a challenging pitch, contributing to India’s 63-run win.
Rahane will be next seen in action during the upcoming Ranji Trophy, which is set to commence on January 25, 2024. The veteran batter was included in the 27-man probable list selected by the Mumbai selectors for a preparatory camp ahead of the domestic red-ball event.
