Ajinkya Rahane’s top 5 Test knocks in England
Ajinkya Rahane has been named in India's 15-member squad for the World Test Championship final against Australia in June.
This comes as a massive boost for the middle-order batter, who has been out of the red-ball picture since February last year. Rahane has scored 4,931 runs in 82 Tests at an average of 38.52 with the help of 25 fifties and 12 centuries.
A back injury to Shreyas Iyer during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in March will require the Mumbai-based player to go under the knife. Iyer is already missing from the Kolkata Knight Riders camp in the ongoing IPL 2023 season and won't feature in the WTC final either.
Iyer's unavailability provides Rahane with a new lease of life to revive his Test career with the Indian team. Rahane has accumulated 729 runs in 29 Test innings in England at an average of 26.03, including five half-centuries and a solitary ton.
Let's look at some of the best knocks played by the former India vice-captain on English grounds.
5 best Test innings by Ajinkya Rahane in England
#1. 103 vs England, Lord's, 2014
Ajinkya Rahane was India's unsung hero in their 95-run victory against England at Lord's in the second Test of the 2014 tour. It was only India's second Test victory at the iconic cricket venue in 82 years at that point.
Although Ishant Sharma's fiery spell of 7/74 in the fourth innings was also decisive, Rahane laid the foundation in the first innings. India were reeling at 145/7 after James Anderson dictated the terms with his reverse swing.
Rahane stood solid as a rock and kept the England bowlers at bay. He scored 103 from 154 balls with the help of 15 boundaries and a six to become the 11th Indian batter to register his name on the Lord's Honours Boards.
Rahane stitched up a partnership of 90 runs alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar (36) for the eighth wicket to push India to a decent total of 295 in the first innings.
#2. 81 vs England, Nottingham, 2018
The Indian batters endured a tough time in England during their 2018 tour, having already lost the first two Tests in Birmingham and Lord's. Then-India captain Virat Kohli was the only exception as he took on the English bowlers in hostile conditions.
However, Kohli had a helping hand in the third Test in Nottingham from his deputy Ajinkya Rahane. Both Rahane and Kohli scored with aplomb to make the England bowlers sweat on Day 1.
Rahane hit 12 boundaries en route to his 81 in a 159-run partnership with Kohli. India posted 329 in the first innings and eventually won the game by 203 runs to make the series stand at 2-1.
#3. 61 vs England, Lord's, 2021
Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara faced flak from Indian media and fans for their diminishing returns with the bat in the middle-order.
Both Rahane and Pujara brought their experience in the second innings of the Lord's Test in 2021 after India lost the key wickets of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. The two absorbed the pressure of the movement of Anderson and Ollie Robinson and the nasty bouncers from Mark Wood.
Rahane was a bit ahead in ticking the runs and fetching boundaries, scoring five and creating a base for India. He played a determined knock of 61 after facing 146 deliveries.
Some quality intent shown by India's tail-enders helped them gain a massive lead of 325 runs in the second innings. England were bowled out for 120 on the last day as India took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
#4. 52* vs England, Southampton, 2014
Rahane scored twin fifties in the third Test against England in 2014. He made 54 in the first innings to push India's score to 330 in reply to the hosts' 569.
Rahane was the lone warrior for India as they chased 445 in the fourth innings. He remained unbeaten on 52 whereas six batters were dismissed for a single-digit score.
#5. 49 vs New Zealand, Southampton, 2021
India and New Zealand played the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship final at the Rose Bowl in Southampton in June 2021.
Rahane looked like one of the most composed batters from the Indian line-up. He looked comfortable against the moving balls of Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee.
Rahane missed a well-deserved fifty as he edged Neil Wagner's short ball down the leg side to the keeper while attempting to play the pull shot. His 49 was the best knock in a poor showing by the Indians in the summit clash.
They went on to lose the game by eight wickets to Kane Williamson's men and missed another shot to lay their hands on a major ICC trophy.