Ajinkya Rahane shut his critics with a fighting knock on the fourth day of the ongoing Lord’s Test. The India vice-captain scored a gritty 61 off 146 deliveries to anchor the innings after the hosts lost three crucial wickets – KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli – in the morning session.
Ajinkya Rahane Played A Really Good Knock And Had Luck On His Side: Virender Sehwag
Ajinkya Rahane was praised by former India swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag for his resilient knock of 61-his first fifty in the last 10 innings that was laced with 5 boundaries.
“He played a really good knock. He had luck on his side as he got dropped on 39. He would be satisfied with his innings. Not happy off course but he will be satisfied after getting 60 odd runs to his credit. Had he converted that fifty into a century, he would’ve been happier,” Sehwag said.
Ajinkya Rahane shut his critics with a fighting knock on the fourth day of the ongoing Lord’s Test. The India vice-captain scored a gritty 61 off 146 deliveries to anchor the innings after the hosts lost three crucial wickets – KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli – in the morning session.
Ajinkya Rahane paired with Cheteshwar Pujara (45) to put up a solid 100-run stand for the wicket to put India in a comfortable position until Moeen Ali turned the tables in the final session. He took down Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja (5) before bad light forced early stumps on Sunday.
Ajinkya Rahane stepped up as stand-in captain in Australia and hit a series-defining hundred in Melbourne but he has been inconsistent with the bat since then. He scored 67 against England at home and 61 in the Lord’s Test-his only 2 fifties in the last 16 innings or so.
Ajinkya Rahane Is Criticized Often But The Series Triumph In Australia Came Under His Leadership: Virender Sehwag
Former India opener Virender Sehwag lauded Ajinkya Rahane for his resilient knock of 61 that was laced with 5 boundaries. While heaping praise on the Mumbai batsman, Virender Sehwag recalled India’s heroics in Australia earlier this year. In the 2020/21 Australia series, Ajinkya Rahane set the tone for a dramatic turnaround for the visitors with a match-winning ton in the 2nd Test at Melbourne.
He was the guiding light for the youngsters like Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, and T Natarajan who stepped up in the absence of senior injured players like Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja and gave their best to outclass the Aussies in their own backyard.
“I must say that we criticize him often. We shouldn’t forget the series triumph in Australia. He scored a hundred in Melbourne after India was all-out for 36 in Adelaide. India won at MCG, drew in Sydney, and won in Brisbane. I feel the series win in Australia is the biggest overseas win and it was under Rahane’s leadership. We criticise him a lot but we had our greatest Test series win under his leadership,” he added.
When bad light forced early stumps on day four, India reached 181 for six, leading England by 154 runs. Rishabh Pant (14*) will need some support from the long Indian tail to add some valuable runs on the fifth morning.