Ajinkya Rahane has been out of favour since the tour of the West Indies in 2023. After the conclusion of the series, the 37-year-old was dropped from the mix, but kept toiling in the domestic circuit with a hope of returning to the national set-up
Ajinkya Rahane (Pic: X/@ICC)
Former Team India captain Ajinkya Rahane has expressed his desire to play Test cricket for the nation, but he has not received any response from the selectors.
The veteran is present at the Lord's Cricket Ground to watch his side's third Test match against England. On Day 3 at lunch, Rahane stated that he still wants to represent India in the traditional format of the game.
He also added that despite trying to have a conversation with the national selectors, he has received no positive signs on his return to the Test side.
"I still want to play Test cricket, I am passionate about Test cricket. For me, it is about focusing on the controllable. Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but I got no response. What I can do is keep playing. I love Test cricket. I love playing with the red ball. It is a passion," Rahane told Sky Sports.
The right-hander has been out of favour since the tour of the West Indies in 2023. After the conclusion of the series, the 37-year-old was dropped from the mix, but kept toiling in the domestic circuit with a hope of returning to the national set-up.
The Mumbai-born cricketer is among the Indians who have scored a century at Lord's. During India's tour to Australia in 2020-21, he took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli, who left for home for the birth of his child.
With Rahane at the helm, India notched mercurial wins in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne and the decisive Gabba Test to script a fairy-tale series. He finished as India's third-highest run-getter with 268 runs, including a century in the Boxing Day Test in front of a jam-packed crowd at the MCG.
Rahane then expressed his views on captaining a team in the longest format of the game. "Every captain must have their own style. When I became the Test captain, I always wanted to back my style, thinking, and instinct. For me, it was about staying true to my character, backing my instincts," said the veteran of 85 Test matches.
Having played 85 Test games for India, the right-hander has scored 5,077 runs with a batting average of 38.46. He also has 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries under his belt. With a top score of 188 runs in the format, Rahane is one of the finest batsmen from the current group of players.
(With ANI Inputs)
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