Ajinkya Rahane grateful to Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar after maiden Test century

Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane who scored his first test century against New Zealnd in the second test match at Wellington – which helps India to achieve a lead of 246 runs in the first innings – thanks Rahul Dravid and Scahin Tendulkar after the game.

“Rahul Dravid is my role model and I have been following him since childhood. I have played with him in the Indian team and with Rajasthan Royals, and so I really learnt a lot from him both on and off the field. I just want to thank Rahul bhai,” Rahane said.

“I also want to thank Sachin (Tendulkar) paaji because during his last two Test matches, he told me about my batting. He said, ‘I have been following you, and your hard work and your fitness. Just be patient and wait for your chance.’ Thanks to both of them,” he added.

Rahane revealed his batting plans for the innings: “Initially when I went in to bat, I just wanted to take my time to settle down and just wanted to play my game. I was looking to do whatever I have been doing in domestic cricket and continue the same way. I am really happy that I got a hundred here.”

“In South Africa, when I got 96, I wanted to get that hundred because a first Test hundred is really special. I know how crucial four runs can be, because a hundred is a hundred. When you get out for 96, it still counts as a fifty.”

“This time I wasn’t thinking about my hundred and just wanted to play one ball at a time. I wanted to play in the present and not think about what is going to happen. I told Zaheer (Khan) to play his normal game and that I wasn’t thinking of my hundred.”

“I was trying to take as much strike as possible, play four-five deliveries and rotate strike off the last ball. That helped me because I was willing to back my ability and back my shots,” he added.

Even if the match was drawn and India lost the series 1-0, Rahane’s performance in overseas conditions is something positive India would like to take away from the tour.