Sachin Tendulkar told me to just enjoy the moment: Ajinkya Rahane on his Test debut
Ajinkya Rahane has become a regular fixture in the Indian team since his Test debut back in 2013. Although Ajinkya Rahane’s first two outings in the middle against Australia at the Ferozeshah Kotla in New Delhi were far from memorable, he still remembers Sachin Tendulkar’s advice before his first Test to this day.
Tendulkar advised fellow Mumbaikar Ajinkya Rahane just to enjoy the moment rather than feel under pressure. Ajinkya Rahane managed only 7 and 1 in his two knocks but India thrashed Australia by six wickets thanks to Cheteshwar Pujara’s twin half-centuries.
In a chat with former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta on his ESPNCricinfo chat show Cricketbaazi, Ajinkya Rahane recalled his debut Test in 2013.
“I didn’t know how to react, I was feeling mixed emotions. It was, obviously, a special moment for me, but I was a bit feeling nervousness and excitement as well,” Ajinkya Rahane told Deep Dasgupta.
Ajinkya Rahane came out to bat with Tendulkar at the other end
After Australia scored 262 in the first innings, Ajinkya Rahane came out to bat with the scoreboard reading 148/3 with Sachin Tendulkar batting at the other end.
“When I went down to bat, Sachin paaji was on the other side. He told me that as a player, you want to do well on debut, and every game. But you need to forget all of this at this moment."
“Just enjoy the moment’. He gave me this advice. My debut match was not that great, but it was memorable,” Ajinkya Rahane recalled.
Ajinkya Rahane, who had opened the batting for India in the ODIs previously, said that it was bit challenging for him adjusting in the middle-order.
“To bat at the middle-order was a bit challenging. I bat at no. 6 position (no. 5 position, actually), and it was challenging. When you are batting at no. 6 in India, you know the ball gets old, and the fielders are standing backwards,” the 32-year-old said.
Ajinkya Rahane has played 65 Tests for India till date, averaging 42.88 with 11 hundreds and 22 fifties. In 90 ODIs, Ajinkya Rahane has scored 2962 runs at an average of 35.26 with three hundreds.
“When you are someone who has opened all your life, then (you) definitely needed to make an adjustment. But at the time, how difficult is the situation did not even go through my head at the time.
“I was just enjoy my batting at the time. I am playing for India and I am going to do it for my country. That was all I had in my mind,” Ajinkya Rahane said.