Ajinkya Rahane, an ignored veteran batsman for India, disclosed that he spoke with the selectors about rejoining the national team but that they didn’t reply. Rahane, who led India to their historic victory in Australia in 2020–21.
The seasoned batter expressed his continued zeal for playing for India in the lengthier format and stated that he still wants to play Test matches for the nation. The 37-year-old batsman achieved 12 hundreds and 26 fifties in his 85 Test matches, scoring 5077 runs at an average of 38.46.
“It is a passion” Rahane on Test cricket
“To begin with, it’s nice to be here. I still have a strong desire to play Test cricket because I love it so much. I’m enjoying my cricket right now. I just came for a few days, but I brought my training gear and sneakers so I could stay in shape. The preparations have barely begun as our domestic season begins,” Rahane stated during the lunch break on Sky Sports’ broadcast.
“For me, it’s about concentrating on the things that can be controlled. To be honest, I made an effort to speak with the selectors but received no response. All I can do is continue to play. Test cricket is something I adore. Playing with the red ball is something I adore. It’s a passion,” Rahane continued.
“Each captain needs to have an own style. When I was named Test captain, I always wanted to support my instincts, style, and way of thinking. For me, it was about following my gut and remaining loyal to who I am,” he said.
In July 2023, Rahane played his final Test match against the West Indies in Port of Spain, where he was also the team’s vice captain. He has since been playing domestic cricket and has guided Mumbai to victory in the Ranji Trophy, including the coveted title in 2023–2024. In addition to winning four of his six games as captain, Rahane, 37, also served as India’s backup captain during Virat Kohli’s paternity leave as the team won the 2020–21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series 2-1 in Australia.
Rahane was previously seen at Wimbledon 2025. He most recently captained the Indian Premier League’s Kolkata Knight Riders.
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