Pristine and picturesque – one could very well associate these adjectives to the snow capped Himalayas surrounding the beautiful stadium of Dharamsala. Out in the middle, Ajinkya Rahane added poise and panache to the setting with a bat in his hand.
Before the Virat Kohli-Suresh Raina onslaught that yielded 138 runs for the third wicket, it was Rahane along with Shikhar Dhawan who had set the ball rolling with a 70-run opening stand. After Dhawan’s departure, Rahane helped Virat get to his full bloom and stabilise the Indian innings.
It was a typical Ajinkya Rahane knock on display. A gentle chip down the leg-side for a single, a nudge in the gap for a quick double and the odd boundary that showed he was ready to mix caution with aggression. In the process, Rahane brought up his first ODI half century after the England tour and scores of 24 and 12 this ODI series. He looked comfortable in the middle, all set for a ton, but got out LBW to Sulieman Benn for 68.
Deep inside, he knew he had missed out on a ton that was waiting to be taken and the opening batsman, in an exclusive chat with BCCI.TV, accepted that consistency is an aspect he needs to bring about in his batting.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Runs for the batsmen, wickets for the bowlers and the series sealed in India’s favour; this has to be very satisfying.
Ajinkya Rahane: (Smiles) It is a wonderful feeling to have won in such a manner. The success hasn’t come easy though. We showed a lot of character as a team after being 0-1 down in the series. Personally I have learnt a lot from this series as well.
Q: Virat Kohli had a disappointing series in England. Having seen him from close quarters what is it that has got him back amongst the runs?
AR: Virat at the moment has handled his mental approach really well. He has always been a hardworking cricketer and his work ethic has always been good. Even when he wasn’t going great guns in England, he kept his calm and was always mentally stable. He always knew what he had to do to get better in his game and he knew deep inside that it was just a matter of one good innings to get him back on track. He scored a gutsy half century in Delhi and tonight he scored an outstanding ton. For the team, him coming back to form is a good sign.
Q: You have spent a lot of time with players like Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli. What are the things that you have tried to learn from them?
AR: I have learnt a lot observing Raina and Kohli. They are like senior cricketers to me and I have noticed the way they approach a situation be it in practice sessions or during a match. The thing about Virat and Raina is that they score runs playing proper cricketing shots. I have a similar kind of game and slowly I am trying to imbibe a few qualities from them.
Q: From the England series until now, what are the things that you have learnt?
AR: I have always tried my best to improve certain aspects of my game and pick certain bits and pieces from practice sessions and the matches that I play. From the previous tours till now I have realised that consistency will be an important factor. I have often got starts for the team but not been able to convert them into big ones. I realise that if I get a big score opening the innings, it will only help the team’s cause. I would want to get a lot more consistent.
Q: As an opening batsman, what are the things that you are working on to become more consistent?
AR: To bring that consistency, my focus has been to keep up the momentum that I attained till I reached a score of 30 or 40. At the same time I have realised that I need to play risk free cricket and back myself to play proper cricketing shots. Opening the batting is an important slot in the batting order because it is the openers who set up the platform for the team during a run-chase or while setting a target. For improving my concentration I meditate and read books.
Q: In this Indian batting order, there is a lot of competition for the opening slot. You have players like Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay who are in the fray. Does it add more pressure on you to become more consistent as an opener, especially with the World Cup round the corner?
AR: It is always good to have healthy competition when you are playing for your country. You need to accept it as a challenge especially at this stage when you are playing tough cricket. I enjoy the competition. MS Dhoni had a chat with me and asked me to back my strengths and play according to them. I am at the moment concentrating on backing my own game and performing to my potential. I always try to focus on the present and work towards it rather than thinking about the future tours. My focus was on this West Indies series and my preparations will start soon for the forthcoming fixtures. I would like to take it step by step.
Q: You spoke about concentration levels. That shouldn’t have been a problem here in these surroundings.
AR: Dharamsala has always been peaceful and calm and I have always enjoyed playing here. I have played here during my U-19 and U-14 days and this venue has a good vibe to it which brings in a lot of energy in the players.
By: BCCI
