Pointing out that Ajinkya Rahane has the quality to open and play in the middle-order, India captain Virat Kohli insisted that he could see the former providing greater balance to the side than anyone else.
Kohli's unwavering confidence and reputation as a chase master offer hope to Indian fans that he can guide India to an extraordinary triumph.
'We don't want to confuse him, he is in a happy space and he knows whenever someone is not going through a good phase or there is an injury, he is there, right at the door steps waiting to play a game whenever the team requires him to'
Rajasthan Royals defeated Kings XI Punjab by six wickets in Jaipur, on Sunday, to register their third win in the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League.
The team received a warm welcome on their return to the country after retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
'Ajinkya has 12 centuries and more than 4,000 runs in Test cricket. So he knows his game and he has gone through such kind of bad phases before as well.'
Ajinkya Rahane scored his seventh Test hundred to help India take a huge first innings lead before rain forced play to be called off early on day three of the second Test against the West Indies, in Jamaica, on Monday.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane shared an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 93 to keep alive India's hopes of a series-levelling win over Australia, giving the hosts a lead of 126 on a see-saw third day of the second Test in Bengaluru on Monday.
The Ajinkya Rahane-led West Zone were 268 for five when the match ended
Well-rested and rejuvenated Mumbai Indians would seek to turn the tables on travel-weary Rajasthan Royals.
'I would say Rahane is aggressive in his own quiet way'
Former captain Rahul Dravid believes a settled middle order can ensure Indian Test team's success abroad.
India failed to bowl out New Zealand on a deteriorating track on the fifth and final day of the first Test but skipper Ajinkya Rahane praised his players saying they tried their best and couldn't have done 'anything different'.
Ajinkya Rahane said he enjoys opening the batting in the shortest format but he is also ready to explore a potential "finisher's role" with Delhi Capitals having several options at the top of the order during the upcoming Indian Premier League in the UAE.
A century would have been nice but what mattered more was playing according to the demands of the situation.
Rajasthan Royals batsman Ajinkya Rahane credited his mental preparation as the key to his success in Tests, One-Day Internationals and the ongoing Indian Premier League, in which he is the leading run-getter till date.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane on Sunday blamed his batsmen after India went down to Zimbabwe by 10 runs despite chasing a modest total, in the second T20 International against Zimbabwe, in Harare.
Talented Mumbai batsman Ajinkya Rahane's century was in vain, as India fell just four runs short of the target when the umpires called off play in the three-day match against South Africa at the Emerging Players' Meet. The teams got three points each from the match.
Pat Cummins' side stayed in control at the end of Day 2 of the WTC Final.
The sub-narratives in the main story will be equally intriguing in the next 13 days.
Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian together claimed six wickets for only 23 runs to put Mumbai within sniffing distance of the Irani Cup triumph despite Abhimanyu Easwaran's heroic 191.
He believes that being overlooked for the limited overs leg of the UK tour will give him more time to do his homework for the five-match Test series against England, starting on August 1.
India captain Ajinkya Rahane on Tuesday singled out the debutant duo of Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj while commending the tremendous character shown by his side to turn it around in the second Test, in Melbourne, for a series-levelling triumph.
Ajinkya Rahane continued his sparkling form as he struck a 54-ball unbeaten 91 to help Rajasthan Royals beat Delhi Daredevils by 14 runs and bounce back from a five-match winless streak in the IPL.
This is the first time in 19 years that India will be playing at Headingley, having last played a Test at the venue in 2002 -- India had won that Test by an innings and 46 runs.
'Off to England for the World Test Championship Final with the one and only Rohit Sharma.'
Rahane made it clear that his preferred slot will be number four
Rohit aims to bring Champions Trophy to Wankhede
India seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar fetched a winning bid of Rs 10.75 crore from Royal Challengers Bengaluru on a largely predictable second day of the mega auction, in Jeddah on Monday.
Images from Day 4 of the first Test between India and the West Indies in Antigua.
'KL Rahul should play at number five and Rishabh Pant should play at number six. Jadeja and Ashwin should play at number seven and eight and then three seamers. I will want to go in with five bowlers.'
A battle-hardened Vidarbha won't make it easy for 41-times Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy final, starting on Sunday.
The Indian team appeared in high spirits as they departed Barbados.
The heart stealing moment of the day was pacer Mohammed Siraj gifting his bat and boots to a local bowler.
CSK can ill-afford to take Punjab Kings lightly, who are coming in to this match after chasing down a world record total of 262 against KKR.
A summary of Friday's action in the Ranji Trophy matches across the country.
Wants to take his T20 game forward at Delhi Capitals.
The Indian batting legend reckons the pressure is now on Australia.
Guess who came to watch Team India train for the first Test against the West Indies at a ground in Barbados?
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane struck fluent centuries as India fought back bravely before a flurry of late wickets allowed a sloppy Australia to take a slight edge on stumps on Day 3 of the third Test, in Melbourne
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