Love the Way Ajinkya Rahane Bats, Pure Class: Michael Vaughan

Published - 26 Jan 2018, 07:06 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM

Ajinkya Rahane
India's Ajinkya Rahane plays a shot past South Africa's Dale Steyn during the fifth day of the second and final cricket Test match between South Africa and India at the Sahara stadium Kingsmead in Durban on December 30, 2013. AFP PHOTO / ANESH DEBIKY Ajinkya Rahane (Photo credit should read ANESH DEBIKY/AFP/Getty Images)

Ajinkya Rahane is considered to be one of the most prolific runscorers for India, especially in overseas conditions. However, in the long home season, Rahane was terribly out of form and found it difficult to cope score any substantial amount of runs in the lead up to the three-match Test series against the Proteas. Taking current form into consideration, Rahane was dropped from the playing XI in the first two Tests at the Newlands in Cape Town and the SuperSport Park in Centurion.

It was Rohit Sharma who was preferred ahead of him, and the hard-hitting batsman yet again failed to cope with the alien conditions and ended up scoring just 57 runs in 4 innings at an average of 19. Rahane finally got his opportunity in the 3rd and the final Test at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg but failed to make a mark in the 2nd innings.

Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, Centurion, Second Test, Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul
Sourav Ganguly talks about Rahane’s potential on foreign tours. Photo Credit: BCCI.

However, in the 2nd innings, he has come all guns blazing and especially on a surface which is becoming more and more difficult with each delivery Rahane has looked a class apart along with his skipper Kohli. He has been decisive in his feet movement and has already struck some exceptional shots on a pitch which is misbehaving.

Rahane is currently batting on 38 of 47 deliveries which include six sensational hits to the fence. He has looked different from other batters, and it leaves me to dumfound that this batsman was dropped for the first two Tests. Former English skipper Michael Vaughan praised the right-hander and said it is always a delight to watch him bat. Rahane looks in good touch and would look to take India’s lead over the 200-220 mark.

Taking to his twitter handle, Vaughan wrote:

“Love the way Ajinkya Rahane Bats ….. Pure class …. #SAvIND. Rahane will look to add some more runs with Bhuvneswar Kumar and give South Africa anything over 200 to chase which will be a very difficult prospect for the hosts.

Ajinkya Rahane, India, Virat Kohli, South Africa,
Ajinkya Rahane is seen as the key figure for South Africa. Photo Credit: AFP.

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