Ajinkya Rahane Opens Up On His Future In Indian Test Cricket Team

Senior Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has said he doesn't bother too much about outside noise and just wants to continue improving his game, adding that he won't give up on his hopes of making a comeback in Team India as nobody can predict about the future.

Senior pros Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahane didn't find a place in the India squad for the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka, played in March. However, based on his impressive performances in the County Championship, Pujara made a comeback into the India squad for the for the rescheduled Test against England, scheduled to be played from July 1 in Birmingham.

On the other hand, Rahane, who also didn't have a great outing in IPL 2022 where he scored just 133 runs in seven innings and was ruled out of the league due to a hamstring injury, was not picked for the Test against England.

Selectors haven't given any clarity on whether the 33-year-old was not picked because of his poor batting form or injury.

"I don't know what people talk about me outside and I also don't think about it that much. I have my family and friends around me, which is important. It's their (people) job to say good or bad things, my job is to do practice, play cricket and perform. And even then if I fail to perform, I will go back to my practice and improve my game," said Rahane on the sidelines of the trailer launch event of 'Bandon Mein Tha Dum', a documentary on that Test series which India won 2-1 in dramatic circumstances in Australia in 2020-21, which will air on streaming service Voot Select later this month.

Giving Team India's comeback reference in that memorable Border-Gavaskar series win after getting bowled out for just 36 in the Adelaide Test, Rahane said nobody can predict the future and so he will never give up.

"Nobody can predict what will happen in the future. I will keep trying, won't give up ever and whether I will get the opportunity or not, I love playing and will continue doing that," he said.

Asked about the comeback pressure, the right-hander batter said good and bad form is the part and parcel of the game and it's important for him to deal with the situation well.

"I don't have any kind of pressure. I have never been selfish about myself and always try to train well and perform whenever I get the opportunity. Good form, bad form is the part and parcel of the game but as a human being the way I react to that particular situation is more important for me," he said.

The stylish batter has done well whenever he has got the opportunity to lead India but he doesn't care about that and believes in process and planning.

"I don't take my records too seriously. When I came to know (during IPL 2020 in Dubai) that I will get the opportunity to lead the side in Australia in absence of Virat Kohli, the planning was very important for me. I was thinking about our strategy, what our bowling attack will be and whom we will face," he said.

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"I have believed that it's very important to plan irrespective of your field. Records come later but the process is important, which I have always done. It helps you in becoming performance ready," he added.