Happy Birthday, Ajinkya Rahane!

Born on June 6, 1988, India batsman Ajinkya Rahane turns 27 today. Rahane is one of the rising stars in the Indian team, and is expected to be a mainstay in the batting lineup.

Born in Ashwi KD in Maharashtra, Rahane made his First-Class debut for Mumbai against Karachi in the Mohammad Nissar Trophy at the National Stadium in Karachi in 2007. Rahane went on to record a successful run in the 2008-09 edition of the Ranji Trophy, in which he recorded 1,089 runs in 17 innings at an average of 65.84. Few have been known to score 1,000 runs or more in India’s premier domestic tournament, and Rahane scored four centuries and five fifties to reach the get to the four-figure mark. READ: Ajinkya Rahane fast emerging as India’s batting mainstay

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After making his international debut during the One-Day International (ODI) series against England in the ill-fated 2011 tour, Rahane had to wait patiently for his big break in the international scene. He had to be content sitting on the bench and carrying drinks for other players for first couple of years of his career. He made his Test debut against Australia in the home series in early 2013.

Rahane however, finally sealed his spot in the Test side with a successful outing in the tour of South Africa in 2013, scoring 209 runs in four innings at an impressive average of 69.66 against an attack that comprised of world-class bowlers such as Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. Rahane also impressed in the Wellington Test against New Zealand in the 2014 tour, in which he scored a well-paced 118 to give India a massive lead, and a chance to level the series. Brendon McCullum‘s triple-century would of course ruin his efforts later. Ajinkya Rahane: Zen of a batsman

Rahane went on to achieve a feat that even the legendary Sachin Tendulkar could not in his illustrious career — score a century at Lord’s. Rahane’s 154-ball 103 anchored the Indian innings, and prevented the visitors from collapsing to a total below 200. India went on to win the Test by 95 runs. The Mumbai batsman also scored centuries in the Melbourne Test against Australia in the 2014-15 tour.

Rahane made his debut for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and played for the side for three seasons, before moving to the Rajasthan Royals, enjoying a successful run in the 2015 edition of the T20 extravaganza. Rahane recorded with a tally of 540 runs in 13 innings at an average of 49.09, finishing as the second-highest run-getter in the eighth edition of the tournament. READ: Ajinkya Rahane, a sight to behold even in the crudest format of the game