'Love challenges,' Ajinkya Rahane relives his MCG knock
Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane, who fell out of favor with Indian selectors, has acknowledged his love for embracing on-field challenges, especially in pressure situations. While reliving his incredible knock that won India the 2020/21 MCG Test, he said, "Wherever there are challenges, I love it. I have scored runs in those situations when the team was at 30/3, 20/3, or 50/3." Rahane's love for difficult conditions started early in his career and was honed at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
Early experiences shaped his resilience
Rahane's resilience was honed during his formative cricketing days at Wankhede Stadium, famous for its lively bounce. "Since my days in Under-14, I played cricket at the old Wankhede, where the wickets were good and had a solid bounce," he recalled. These conditions turned Rahane into a player who flourishes under pressure and always steps up when his team needs him the most.
The unsung hero of India's 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar series victory
In a conversation with Star Sports, Rahane relived his iconic knock at the MCG, which turned the tide for Team India. India lost the series opener in Adelaide after being bundled out for their lowest Test score (36). Rahane then took over the reins, with Virat Kohli heading home for personal reasons. The former's century in the 2nd Test (MCG) helped India bounce back in the series. Under Rahane, India won the series decider in Brisbane to script history.
WATCH: Rahane's love for challenges
Rahane's impressive career and contributions to India
After making his international debut in 2011, Rahane played for India across formats, scoring 8,414 runs from 195 matches at an average of 35.95. He has hit 15 centuries and scored half-centuries on 51 occasions. His highest score remains an impressive 188 runs. The cricketer is especially known for his marathon innings in Test matches, with over 5,000 runs from this format alone.
Rahane in ODIs and T20Is
In ODIs, Rahane has racked up 2,962 runs from 87 innings at an average of 35.26, including three centuries and 24 fifties. His highest score in this format is a commendable 111. In the shortest international format, he has amassed 375 runs at an average of 20.83, including one 50.
