The fortune has certainly played a game with Ajinkya Rahane in IPL 2023. The star after a stunning comeback with a newfound strokeplay ability. Pravin Amre, who has coached the Indian batter in the past, has revealed an interesting tale about him. During an interaction with the Hindustan Times, Amre shed light on an astonishing coincidence in Rahane’s career. Known for his forte in red-ball cricket, Rahane actually announced his arrival at the international circuit during a T20 International in 2011. And now, the Mumbai batter has earned back his place in the Indian team owing to his exceptional form in the ongoing IPL.
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Moreover, Amre highlighted Rahane’s hard work and excellent batting technique that helped him in coming out of the difficult phase he was going through for the past few months.
Rahane last time represented India in a Test series against South Africa in 2022. It has been almost 17 months since he received a call-up for the Indian squad. The 34-year-old cricketer also failed to find a place in the BCCI Central Contracts for the first time in a decade. Fans might have a little hope for his comeback when Rahane made a roaring entry into the IPL for his new franchise Chennai Super Kings.
Rahane was ignored in the playing XI in Chennai’s first few games. But when he finally got the opportunity against Mumbai Indians, the batter did nothing but showed off his class. He then played some impressive knocks against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals, only to become a name of trust in Chennai’s middle order. Ahead of the IPL, Rahane had a memorable outing in the Ranji Trophy as well.
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With the World Test Championship final inching closer, the Indian team management was on the hunt for an experienced batter, who can fill in the vacant place of Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer. In this scenario, Rahane’s red-hot form caught the attention of the selectors, earning him a place in the WTC squad, which will travel to England in June.
Speaking about his comeback, Pravin Amre said, “Nobody anticipated his return when he was dropped, but dedication always pays off. He achieved a double hundred and had an excellent Ranji season. People are genuinely astonished by the new Ajinkya because he is striking the ball for such a long distance while still executing proper cricketing shots.”
Moreover, Amre underlined Chennai skipper MS Dhoni’s guidance, which helped Rahane get back his rhythm. “Even Dhoni has talked about his technique. People say that technique is not essential in T20 matches. But as coaches, we’ve always maintained that technique is important in T20,” he explained.
Rahane has already racked up 209 runs in 5 appearances in the IPL 2023. He has got two half-centuries under his belt while also maintaining a commendable strike rate of 199.05.
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