After a break of 18 months, Ajinkya Rahane will be returning to play for India at the WTC 2023 Final, taking place at The Oval, London, England, from 7 to 11 June 2023. Ajinkya Rahane’s affair with the red ball at the WTC 2023 Final will be a crucial deciding factor for his cricketing career. A stellar performance can see him making a comeback to test cricket. Anything less than that can be potentially career-ending for Rahane.
This is not Rahane’s first career break, though. He has faced several interruptions in his career, mainly due to a notable lack of confidence which pushed him into a corner. But this is not a reflection of his talent and class as a cricketer. Over the years, Rahane has given us ample proof of his raw talent as a cricketer.
He likes to feel the ball on the bat, which is his greatest strength and weakness. But what stands out the most is his straight, downward bat swing and fast hands and eye. Indeed, his bat lift is almost Tendulkar-like in its straightness. According to MS Dhoni, “The strength in his (Rahane’s) batting is the gift of timing and his ability to exploit gaps in the field.” Defending also comes naturally to him. His performance in this year’s IPL is proof of that. He is also a team player who always puts the team’s needs before his own.
Both luck and good form played a crucial role in Rahane’s return to test cricket. He was included in the test team as a substitute for Shreyash Iyer. But his outstanding performance in Ranji Trophy and reinventing his style in this year’s IPL also played a huge part. All in all, watching Rahane face the Aussies at The Oval will be an interesting experience as he is in excellent form at the moment. Historically, he has also performed well in away matches, especially against Australia.
