Better equipped for No 4: Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane’s success makes you wonder if all those experiments at No. 4 at home were really worth anything. While there had been calls from various quarters to put him at the No. 4 spot in ODIs, skipper Virat Kohli earmarked him as an opener. He did well in West Indies against the new ball and that vindicated Kohli’s belief.
However, come South Africa, where fast bowling is the trump card on fast and true surfaces, Kohli brought Rahane into the position. He confirmed on the eve of the series that since Rahane is good against pace, he’ll man the middle order. The new No. 4 didn’t disappoint, playing a knock that saw India win. Importantly, he did what was needed – kept rotating the strike to put pressure back on the opposition.
But have the musical chairs affected him in the lead up to the series. “I was completely blank. I always believe that I can only control the control-ables. Many times, you tend to waste your energies on things you cannot control. I believe whatever I can control, I’ll focus only on that and conserve energy. So when I get an opportunity to bat, I can use the energy there,” he said.
“I have mentioned many times before I am ready to bat at any position the team management tells me to. My mindset is such that whatever my team management tells me to do, I always give positive response to that.”
Rahane’s record against South Africa has been good. In fact, in the 2015 World Cup, he played a game-changing knock against them after Shikhar Dhawan had scored a century. Ahead of this series, he played another innings of impact in the final Test.
“The confidence which came from the Test win at Johannesburg, where I got 48 helped. But I was actually determined to do well at No.4 because I batted at that number in 2015 WC and few other series as well,” he added.
While it is tough to sit outside and be drafted in as per the team’s needs, Rahane feels he is mature and equipped to do well. “I am better equipped (to bat at No.4), I am more mature now, I know how to build an innings at No.4. I enjoy batting at the top two positions but when you represent your country and you get a chance to bat at whatever number you just want to give off your best for the team.”
CENTURION: