ENG vs IND 2018: We Want To Give Our Best And Finish On A Winning Note: Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane, on Thursday, insisted that winning the fifth and final England vs India Test is important one for India despite the game being an inconsequential one as far as the series is concerned.

The five-match series was done and dusted when England beat India by 60 runs in the fourth Test. The win helped the hosts take an unassailable 3-1 lead. As a result, no matter who wins the upcoming Test, it won’t have any impact on the outcome of the series. However, India’s vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has said winning the inconsequential game will be important for the world number one side.

“It’s an important Test match, every Test match is equally important. Yes, the series stands at 3-1 but definitely we want to give our best and finish on a winning note. I feel we played some good cricket. But England played better than us.

“In Test cricket, you have to give more than 100 per cent in each and every session. And I felt England particularly won small sessions, that’s what I felt. Especially their bowling unit, they bowled really well but as I said, important Test match coming up and we will give our best,” Rahane said in the press conference on the eve of the Test.

Rahane further spoke on his batting. The right-hander had started the series on a poor note. With so much expected from him, the batting mainstay fared miserably in the first two games, scoring 15, 2, 18  and 13. But in the third Test, he scored a fluent 81 to get back to form and help India win the game. He also scored a fifty in the second innings of the fourth Test but could not take India over the line.

Rahane, nonetheless, is the fifth highest scorer in the series so far, having scored 220 runs in eight innings.

Rahane said he was confident about the way he was batting and will look to enjoy his batting at the Oval in London.

“The way I am batting, I am really confident. Yes, I did not get many runs but the way I am batting, I am middling the ball really well and batting is all about confidence. Yes, I would like to contribute more to my team and during this last Test match, I will give my best. I have prepared myself really well.

“Preparations have been similar from first Test match to now and whether you are 3-1 down or 3-1 up, it’s important you give your best in preparations and go out there and enjoy your batting. So I am just going to enjoy my batting in the last Test match and as I said, winning this last Test match before going home will be really important,” Rahane told the media.

India, meanwhile, will be desperate to get back to winning ways after losing yet another overseas Test series. Virat Kohli & Co.’s failure to capitalise on opportunities has brought about their downfall in the ongoing series. Not wrapping up England’s lower order, batting collapses from strong position and some poor catching are some of the reasons behind the loss.

The fifth Test gets underway on Friday.