"I have scored runs when the team was at 30-3, 20-3, or 50-3" - Ajinkya Rahane on thriving in challenging conditions
Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has said that his best performances on the big stage have come in challenging conditions because he embraces such situations. The Mumbai batter attributed his success on tough batting pitches to his formative years when he played at the Wankhede, one of the rare venues in India that can produce lively bounce.
Rahane has represented India in 85 Test matches, scoring 5,077 runs at an average of 38.46, with the help of 12 hundreds and 26 fifties. Eight of his Test tons have come away from home. One of his most famous knocks came while leading India in the 2020-21 Boxing Day Test. Rahane notched up a magnificent century as India won the game, overcoming the ignominy of 36 all-out in Adelaide.
While lack of consistency has forced the right-handed batter out of the Indian team, he's still hailed for his Test exploits, especially away from home. Speaking to Star Sports in the build-up to the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rahane said that challenging conditions and tough situations bring the best out of him.
"Wherever there are challenges, I love it. I have scored runs in those situations when the team was at 30-3, 20-3, or 50-3. From there, the team needs to reach a respectable score, and throughout my life, I've delivered my best knocks in these tough situations. I always loved challenges where the ball moves, seams, or bounces," the 36-year-old said, as quoted by ANI.
The former India vice-captain added that he honed his skills for the bigger challenges ahead by playing and practising at his home ground - the Wankhede in Mumbai, a venue capable of producing bouncy tracks.
"Since my days in U14, I played cricket at the old Wankhede, where the wickets were good and had a solid bounce," he said.
The seasoned batter is currently leading Mumbai in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy. He was dismissed for 35 in the first innings of their ongoing match against Tripura. He registered scores of 29 and 12 against Baroda and 31 against Maharashtra.
Ajinkya Rahane's home vs away record in Test matches
Rahane has featured in 32 Test matches in home conditions, where he has scored 1,644 runs at an average of 35.73, with four hundreds and eight fifties.
In contrast, the right-hander has 3,234 runs in 51 away Tests, averaging 39.43, with eight tons and 17 half-centuries. He has also played two matches at neutral venues, scoring 199 runs at an average of 49.75.