Ajinkya Rahane's immediate challenge is to lead India against Afghanistan in the one-off Test at Bangalore starting June 14
India batsman Ajinkya Rahane and Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan at the Ceat Awards in the city last night. Pic/Suresh Karkera
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Being dropped can be frustrating for any cricketer. However, the same disappointment motivates India's stand-in Test skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who is dropped from the limited overs team for the forthcoming tour of England.
'No frustration'
"I am not at all frustrated. Actually, I can tell you, this is motivating me because I am looking to come back into the side. I know that I did really well in the shorter format. It is all about giving my best in that particular time. Right now, my focus is on Test cricket — definitely the Afghanistan Test match and later the England series.
"But I still believe that I can come back and do well in the shorter format.
The World Cup is coming up and I am confident I will be back very soon," Rahane told reporters on the sidelines of the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards yesterday. When asked about playing white-ball cricket and its difficulties, Rahane, who has scored 2962 runs in 90 ODIs, said: "I believe in myself. It is important that you should have that belief and I did well in ODI cricket when I got my opportunity in the West Indies where I got the man of the series award. Against Australia, I did really well too. In South Africa, the team management asked me to bat at No. 4 and I did well. So, it's just a matter of time. I always focused on what I need to do and I am not at all worried," said Rahane, 29. Rahane's immediate challenge is to lead India against Afghanistan in the one-off Test at Bangalore starting June 14.
'Aware of Rashid threat'
The Mumbai batsman knows that his team will be up against in-form leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who claimed 21 wickets in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad. "He is doing really well especially in the shorter format. He is a quality bowler and everyone needs to accept and respect that. "We are not going to take Afghanistan lightly because in cricket and life in general, you cannot take anything for granted. It is important to put your best foot forward," Rahane said.
He has not doubts that Team India have a good chance of succeeding in the forthcoming five-Test series in England: "The first match of the series is always important, when you play a five-Test series. "Every match is equally important, but if you get that momentum early in the series then you can actually go on and dominate your opponent. We do have a great chance to do well in England," he stressed.
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