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Home > Sports News > Cricket News > Article > Ajinkya Rahane Small targets are always tricky

Ajinkya Rahane: Small targets are always tricky

Updated on: 29 March,2017 05:43 PM IST  | 
Ashwin Ferro | ashwin.ferro@mid-day.com

Stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane glad to crack 38* in quick time to see India home against Aus

Ajinkya Rahane: Small targets are always tricky

Team India pose with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after beating Australia by eight wickets in the deciding fourth and final Test in Dharamsala yesterday. Pic/PTITeam India pose with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after beating Australia by eight wickets in the deciding fourth and final Test in Dharamsala yesterday. Pic/PTI


The script unfolded expected on expected lines during on Day Four of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia at the HPCA Stadium here with the hosts emerging victorious by eight wickets and clinching the series 2-1 to reclaim the prestigious Border Gavaskar Trophy.


However, there were a couple of hiccups en route, when needing 87 for victory with 10 wickets in hand at the start of play, suddenly opener Murali Vijay (8) departed edging pacer Pat Cummins to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Then, Cheteshwar Pujara was run-out without scoring after a terrible mix-up with KL Rahul. Both dismissals happened in the same (13th) over with the score stuck at 46 (with another 60 to get), briefly added to the tension.


Six appeal
But Mumbai man Ajinkya Rahane (skipper here in place of the injured Virat Kohli) hammered away a couple of sixes to take the pressure off as he and Rahul put on an unbeaten 60-run stand to ensure India achieved the target of 106 quite comfortably. Rahane seemed to be in a hurry as he went after one of Australia's best bowlers in this match, Pat Cummins, who had been steaming in consistently at 145kmph-plus throughout. Rahane (38 off 27 balls, 4x4s, 2x6s) first hit Cummins for consecutive fours in over No. 15 and then hammered him for a cross-batted six and a pull over the ropes off consecutive deliveries.

He explained his aggression: "Small targets can be tricky. I remember in the (Galle) Test against Sri Lanka (in 2015).

"We were all out for a little over a 100 in the second innings and lost that match so I wanted to score around 30 runs quickly so that would take the pressure off," he said at the post-match presentation. While Rahane was aggressive, at the other end, KL Rahul calmly notched up his sixth half century of the series.

Virat Kohli with team mates at award ceremony after winning the test series against Australia. Pic/PTIVirat Kohli with team mates at award ceremony after winning the test series against Australia. Pic/PTI

Souvenir stump
As Rahul hit the winning runs, Rahane went over and picked up a stump as a souvenir of his successful Test captaincy against the mighty Aussies.

Kohli perfectly summed up the tough Australian attitude which made this series extra special. "Australia had the belief of making things happen in these conditions, that's something I sensed from their body language and the way they played.

"They believed they could win sessions and win situations and that was most challenging for us. While teams tend to lose their morale once they lose a Test in India, they kept bouncing back and had the desire to compete throughout. That's why they are the No. 2 side in the world," he said.

He reserved special praise for his own boys though. "This is a very proud moment. We've been playing good cricket all season, especially at home and dominated. It was very important for a young side to do so to build a team for the future. "Not just one or two guys, but everyone had contributed. If you don't have a team performance, you can't be the No. 1 Test team in the world." To say Kohli was delighted is an understatement.

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