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Ajinkya Rahane: The quintessential team man

Ajinkya Rahane's century at No. 3 was the first one for India after 14 Test matches.

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Ajinkya Rahane scored his fourth Test ton © AFP
Ajinkya Rahane scored his fourth Test ton © AFP

There were a lot of questions when Ajinkya Rahane was asked to move up the order to bat at No. 3 for India, in place of Rohit Sharma. Rohit, who was picked to play at No. 3 because he could score quickly, had failed in the first Test at Galle. Seamlessly agreeing for the team cause, Ajinkya Rahane stepped up to bat at first drop, and after one failure in the first innings of the second Test, Rahane responded with one of his best Test centuries. Nikhil Popat writes how well Rahane moulded himself as a proper team man.

Ajinkya Rahane has shined on away tours for India. Be it England, South Africa, New Zealand or Australia. But he did not have same success at home, in Asian conditions. As India talked about playing five bowlers, there was more responsibility on his shoulders now. But it was not just his batting; Rahane was told before the tour of Sri Lanka that he will stand in the slips to the spinners. On cue, Rahane was more than happy to consult Rahul Dravid and prepare himself for the challenge. Read: Kumar Sangakkara vs Ravichandran Ashwin: The final four dismissals of the legend’s career

He has spent a lot of time with Dravid, who is also his idol at Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Rahane is often referred to as someone possessing a personality similar to Dravid; calm, collected, always ready for the team. In the first Test at Galle, he took eight catches, a world record, but did not fail to credit Dravid for helping him learn how to field in the slips. He said, “He [Dravid] told me that focus and concentration were really important things. In Tests, sometimes the ball will not come for a long time and suddenly you have to grab that one chance that comes. That temperament has to be there and I have been working on my slips catching and my overall fielding.”

He did not field in the slips for his domestic team, but when he was asked about fielding there, his response was, “I feel in this team, any player can stand anywhere. Every individual has the ability to stand anywhere and all are brilliant fielders. So, I normally stand at gully for fast bowlers and this time Virat Kohli told me that I will stand at slip for spinners. So I have been practicing that before the Test series. Even during the series we have been taking 50 to 100 catches every day. So that’s working for us.” Read: India cannot afford to keep shuffling batsmen at the crucial No. 3 spot

Rahane gives you the impression of being an old-school lover of the game, who would not shy away from taking responsibility, taking on challenges for the team’s cause. In the second Test at Galle, he was asked to bat at No. 3, a position he is not used to featuring in (and moreover he was doing superbly at No. 5). In the first innings, the change of position cost him as he lashed out at one outside off and was out for a score of 4. That shot was not something Rahane had not played before: an on the up drive. But this time he was facing a new ball, unlike other times, when he comes in later in the order, where the ball is old, bouncing not quite as much so he could hit that on the rise and get the desired result.

In the second innings, Rahane came in and was intent on playing himself in. To counter for the movement from the new ball, he was ready to get across to leave them better. Occupation of the crease was the need of the hour for India as both spinners in Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal were bowling tight lines and lengths. Both of them had a couple of close appeals against him but he survived, unbeaten on28 in 83 balls at stumps on tOn Day Four, India were looking for quick runs. Rahane latched onto the first ball he got in his range and unfurled a fierce cut. The positive intent was now seen even in his defence. He was particularly keen on reading Herath to ensure  the bowler is not given an inch. And when on 42, he came down the track to loft Herath up and over cover. The timing and grace was for all to see.

Rahane was himself now. This is his biggest strength, to see through tougher periods and cash in later at a decent rate. Sri Lanka had employed a 7-2 field and you normally won’t see Rahane play a reverse sweep. But this time, he brought out an ugly but perfect one to find the fence at point to bring up his fifty.

His effort was commendable. Now he was batting for the team, going after any width, wanting to rotate the strike at regular intervals. He, however,had a nervous time in the nineties. He wanted to get to the hundred badly. He was out for 98 against Bangladesh at Fatullah in the one-off Test; this time he was not going to risk anything.

He waited for the loose ball and deflected it down to fine leg for three runs to ensure he got to his ton. There were no expletives coming out from him, just a firm punch in the air and a raise of the bat with the helmet in his hand to acknowledge the applause from the crowd. And who did he have at the other end? Rohit Sharma, the man who was designated to bat at No. 3 for India. Rohit patted Rahane on the back, but one would even say, Rohit might have just thanked Rahane there. Read: India in Sri Lanka 2015: Virat Kohli must back his decisions

Rahane took out the kerchief, wiped off the sweat of his head and he was ready for the next ball. He was ready for another battle, another challenge to be accepted, to up the scoring. He was eventually dismissed for a score of 126. The lead was past 325 then. He had done what was asked of him and obliged with a century. He had not had the success batting in the third innings of a Test, having just scored 44 runs in the previous five innings. He had made a fighting 96 against South Africa but in 2013. But this innings came at a position he had not batted often before, the century was the first one for India at No. 3 since Cheteshwar Pujara’s 153 against South Africa in 2013, 14 Test matches ago.

While there will still be talks about who should be playing at No. 3, the century from Rahane might not seal the discussion. It was never about him. It was for the team. ‘Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work,’ Vince Lombardi had said. A quote that goes on perfectly to describe how well Rahane has been as an individual for India in the whites.

(Nikhil Popat is a diehard cricket enthusiast and a PotterHead till the end of time. He can be followed on Twitter @CricCrazyNIKS)

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