Rahane delighted at making World Cup probables list

Mumbai's middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane was lying on his couch watching television when his phone rang to deliver the news of his selection in India's preliminary squad for the World Cup on Saturday. "At first, I couldn't believe my ears. Honestly, I did not know when the World Cup probables list was going to be announced. It was a pleasant surprise," Rahane told SUNDAY MiD DAY.


The 22-year-old was the only uncapped player to be included in the 30-member preliminary squad for the 2011 edition. Rahane, who has been on the cusp of making it to the Indian squad for quite some time, felt his selection has come at the right time.

Motivation
"It's a huge motivation to be among India's 30 best cricketers. In fact, it (the selection) will spur me on to do even better in the remainder of the season.

"I have had a good season so far, so I was expecting to make the cut," said Rahane, who is the fifth highest run-scorer in Ranji Trophy with 447 runs from five matches. He is also only the 11th player to have scored 1000 runs in a single Ranji season.

However, Rahane's chances of getting picked in the final 15 look slim. "Anything can happen in cricket. I am an optimist.

"I will keep performing and the rest is up to the selectors," he said.

"To be honest, I will be a bit disappointed if I don't get selected in the final 15 because it is every cricketer's dream to play in the World Cup and I am no different," Rahane said.

Rahane, a Nallasopara-resident, insisted that he is focused on helping Mumbai win the Ranji Trophy title for the 40th time.

"I am not thinking about getting selected into the World Cup squad at this moment. My priority is to do well in the Ranji quarter-final," he concluded.

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