Rahane happy to play the T20 waiting game
KOLKATA: Ajinkya Rahane is a vital cog in the Test and ODI teams, but it hasn’t been an easy ride for the classy batsman in the shortest format. A power-packed batting order has left him waiting for a steady run in the side, and in Rahane’s case, he didn’t cash in on the four T20Is he was picked to play.
A best of 25 against Sri Lanka and a duck against Pakistan courtesy a Mohammad Amir toecrusher means Rahane may not be a regular choice in the World Twenty20.
India team director Ravi Shastri, however, calls it a ‘good problem to have’. “People who are in the bench like Harbhajan or Ajinkya can get into any team in the world. So, it’s a good headache. And he will be around. He is one player who can play all three formats,” he said on Wednesday.
Rahane has used the time he has spent outside the playing eleven to sharpen his skills. “It’s a very good thing that the team is settled. That’s what you want as a team mem- ber. This is a great opportunity for me to prepare well, to work hard on the game. I’m mentally and technically ready for my opportunity, whenever I get it.
“It’s a team game and you have to respect the team’s decisions,” said Rahane on Tuesday. To him, even the smallest job counts as a contribution to the team. “Even giving someone water when he needs it gives me a lot of happiness, or suggestion about batting. Your mindset must be like that,” he said.
T20 might be a struggle for now, Rahane is clear about his goals. “My patience, my thinking, my positive attitude have been my plus points. I want to be a top batsman for my country.” Rahane considers his ability to time the ball as an asset. “I don’t copy anyone. It’s important to stick to your strength, and for me it’s timing.” Although seen as a conventional player, Rahane, who was a success in the IPL, is open to being unconventional. “I focus on a few shots that I can improve in this format. At any net practice, I look to improve one shot, be it sweep, reverse-sweep or the lap shot,” he said. “I know I can clear the rope easily. But it’s important to focus on singles and doubles too in T20s because if a partnership is going well, one batsman can hit sixes and fours while the other one has to keep rotating the strike.”
For the time being, Rahane is prepared to play the waiting game and keep improving. “There is nothing wrong with my batting or approach. It’s just that the team is doing really well.”
My patience, my thinking, my positive attitude have been my plus points. I want to be a top batsman for my country
AJINKYA RAHANE