Ajinkya Rahane is still hungry to be part of the Indian Test team, and the passion to keep playing the sport is intense, the Mumbai captain said after leading his team into the Ranji Trophy semifinals, beating Haryana at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.
Rahane scored his 41st First-Class century to give his side a 353-run lead, which eventually was good enough to keep Mumbai’s pursuit of a successive red-ball title and a domestic treble intact.
“I am batting well. I did well in (Syed) Mushtaq Ali); and in the previous game as well (vs Meghalaya). I am happy about it. My job is to keep contributing. Domestic cricket has given me everything. That’s why I still have that passion; that love for the game is still there, and I respect Test cricket,” Rahane said after the match.
The 36-year-old was the highest scorer in the recently concluded SMAT, where he amassed 469 runs at a strike rate of 164.56. In the red-ball format, Rahane has made 437 runs, averaging nearly 40. Despite that, he’s unsure what will happen in the future.
“I don’t know what will happen in the future. But there’s cricket left in me. You all can see that I am playing domestic cricket with full effort. All this is there in my mind – to give more than 100 per cent. Whatever is supposed to happen, will happen; you can’t stop it. My job is to keep my attitude right and play cricket,” he said.
Rahane last featured in India’s Test squad in 2023. That year, India lost to Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, in which he scored 89 and 46 across two innings.
“Selection is in the hands of selectors. I thought I did well in that (WTC) final. But again, for me, it’s about being in the moment, keep improving my game, grow as a cricketer, and give my best,” Rahane explained.
