Ajinkya Rahane must have been desperate to leave a mark, reckons VVS Laxman

Even though he has been the vice-captain of the Test team for quite some years now, Ajinkya Rahane’s selection for the match against West Indies was under doubt after having faced a major slump. The middle-order batsman had last scored a century in the August of 2017, a resilient 132 in the second Test against Sri Lanka. However, the 31-year-old not only managed to keep his place but shut his critics up, with his century in the second innings helping the team post a target that turned out to be out of the home team’s reach.

"He must have felt some pressure after not having scored a Test hundred in more than two years. Even though he had the backing of the selectors and the team management, the vice-captain would have been desperate to leave his mark, and his reaction upon reaching three figures on Sunday showed just how much this century meant to him," former cricketer VVS Laxman wrote in his column for TOI.

While Rahane’s century was one of the highlights of the game, it was the bowlers that stole the show for large parts. The Caribbean team could only post a decent 222 in the first inning courtesy a brilliant five-for by Ishant Sharma, before Bumrah’s astounding figures of 8-4-7-5 had them bowled out for a paltry 100 in the second innings. 

"India's fast bowlers once again put on a show. Ishant was excellent throughout the game and Mohammed Shami troubled all batsmen, but the one who stood out was Jasprit Bumrah," Laxman wrote.

Rahane was ably supported by Hanuma Vihari with whom he put up a 135-run stand in the second innings, with the latter narrowly missing out on a century. Notwithstanding, his scores of 93 and 32 helped him make a mark in the tough batting conditions in what was only his fifth test. However, opener KL Rahul failed to have the same impact, having got out just shy of a half-century in either innings after having managed to get a decent start.

"I was impressed with the way Hanuma Vihari approached his task. He batted freely without taking undue risks, and has looked like he belongs in Test cricket from the time he made his debut in England last year. By contrast, KL Rahul will be extremely disappointed with himself for having done all the hard work in both innings and then getting himself out," Laxman concluded.