Donā€™t need to bat differently to play ODIs, says Ajinkya Rahane

Donā€™t need to bat differently to play ODIs, says Ajinkya Rahane

no photo

|

Getty

Ajinkya Rahane in an exclusive interview to Hindustan Times said that there is no need for him to change his technique to play in ODIs. Rahane who played last ODI in 2018 believes, his game is well suited for all formats and given opportunity, he is ready to grab it in limited-overs cricket.

India has been a country to have labelled players for different formats in past. Otherwise, it would be of huge surprise for any cricketing brain to understand that a player like VVS Laxman has never played a World Cup. In this generation of Indian players, you can find the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma to be labelled as Test specialists.

Rahane, Indiaā€™s Test vice-captain has been through some of that labelling like a ā€œTest specialistā€ or a ā€œhome-soil bullyā€. The right-hander has played 90 ODIs scoring 3 hundreds and 24 fifties. He last played an ODI in 2018 and a T20I way back in 2016.

Being called ā€œbest overseas batterā€ for India, it came as a surprise to Rahane, when he was dropped from the first Test against South Africa during Indiaā€™s tour in 2018.Ā Rahane commented on the time when he was dropped from the Indian team.Ā 

ā€œThere were moments like that but your mindset in those moments matters a lot. My family members and close friends only said positive things because of which my self-belief grew. I knew I had got runs at every level. For me to go through that moment was also very difficult. I took about 10-15 minutes to gather myself. After that I thought, ā€˜no, itā€™s about the teamā€™. If the team management feels the combination is good, it is,ā€Ā Rahane said in an interview to Hindustan Times.Ā 

Indiaā€™s number 5 in Tests fells that he has not got enough opportunity in limited-overs cricket. In the limited chances that came his way, he believes he has not let down on it. The management have tried KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, Shreyas Iyer and Ambati Rayudu at the dreaded spot.Ā 

ā€œWhen I have been asked to bat at No. 4, I have done it. That has been my attitudeā€”if the team wants me to bat at No. 4, I will. At the 2016 World Cup, I did well (played one game, semis vs Windies, scoring 40). It was there in my mind that if I get an opportunity I should grab it. I was feeling an opportunity could come my way, but it didnā€™t happen. There was a lot of debate going on for No. 4ā€¦ personally, there was disappointment that I was not there,ā€ Rahane on his ODI and T20I cricket opportunity.

The Indian Test regular believes that he is in right zone when it comes to his batting. He aims to convert his starts into match-winning knocks in white-ball cricket. In the 90 ODIs that Rahane has played in this career, the right-hander has scored 2962 runs playing at No.4 for Team India. However, since the ODI against South Africa in Centurion, the Mumbaikar has not played any ODI in his career.Ā 

ā€œI will not try to change much because the zone in which I am batting, I will try to stay in it. The starts I get in one-day cricket, how to convert them into big hundreds and how I can play match-winning knocks, that is what is most important, I donā€™t think technically I can change anything. If you talk about the strike rate, mine has also been good in the last two years. I donā€™t think I have to change much, whenever I get the opportunities in one-day cricket, I will try and enjoy; back the way I play with intent and instinct and take one game at a time without bothering what can happen in the future,ā€ opined Rahane.

Get updates! Follow us on

Open all