Published: Jun 25, 2015, 03:39 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 25, 2015, 03:42 PM (IST)
Ajinkya Rahane (left) is an Indian batsman, who made his One-Day International (ODI) debut against England in 2011 at Chester-le-Street and after two years played his first Test against Australia at Delhi. A right-handed batsman, he has played 55 ODIs and 15 Tests and has scored 1593 runs and 1175 runs respectively.
Rahane made his First-Class debut for Mumbai in the 2007-08 season. He has scored over 1,000 runs in each of this first five seasons. Consistent performances in the domestic circuit and two tons in the Emerging Players Tournament in Australia in 2011, earned him a place in the Indian ODI squad for the tour of England. He had a good start to his international career after he scored a breezy fifty in a Twenty20 International (T20I) game. However, it wasn’t a happy ride for him as he was in and out of the side.
Rahane is now a crucial member of the side and key to the side’s batting armoury. His hundred at Lord’s in 2014, helped India win a Test at that venue after 28 long years. He has played also played 11 T20Is and at present plays for Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Rahane’s doppelganger on the right is his Mumbai and Rajasthan Royals teammate Dhawal Kulkarni, who is a medium-pace bowler and has so far played only six ODIs, making his debut against England last year. After solid performances in the domestic season and for Mumbai Indians (MI), Kulkarni was selected in the Test squad in 2009 for the New Zealand tour but unfortunately couldn’t play a single Test. In the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, he was kept as the side’s back-up option.
