The Indian batting legend reckons the pressure is now on Australia.
Unfortunately, his return was marred by a dismissal for just three runs off eight balls.
India skipper Rohit Sharma already stated that the way England plays isn't their concern but the sub plot of the five-match series will be England's 'Bazball' vs India's spin.
In need of a victory to firm-up their position in the IPL play-offs race, Chennai Super Kings have the heavy task of nullifying a deeply hurt and frustrated Rajasthan Royals in Chennai on Sunday.
Ajinkya Rahane wants to take on the New Zealand pace battery with more intent in the second Test. He has a foolproof strategy, which includes countering the awkward angles which became a nightmare for Indian batsmen during the first Test at the Basin Reserve.
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.
Punjab Kings left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar opened up about the areas he tries to aim for while bowling against some of the best hitters of the tournament in the ongoing Indian Premier League season.
The Indian supporters, on Saturday, resorted to booing the Australian team, primarily Cameron Green after the giant all-rounder's diving catch to dismiss opener Shubman Gill.
'We still prepare the pitch the exact same way every time to try and get the same good carry, pace and bounce that the Gabba is known for.'
A patient half-century by Ajinkya Rahane and some disciplined bowling display helped Rajasthan Royal notch up a comfortable four-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL match in Abu Dhabi.
South Africa resorted to dogged stonewalling in their pursuit of an improbable 481-run victory target after Ajinkya Rahane stroked his second century of the match to tighten India's grip on the fourth and final Test on Sunday.
'If there was some problem, it could have been solved easily.'
Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, both struggling in the Indian Premier League, will be looking to turn their fortunes around when they face each other on Friday.
Middle-order batter Hanuma Vihari on Tuesday accepted that making a return to the Indian team is tough, and getting dropped at times could affect a player's mindset.
Sidharth Kaul claimed Royals Captain Rahane, caught at deep square leg for 13.
Ajinkya Rahane hit a resolute fifty and spinner Pravin Tambe scalped three crucial wickets as Rajasthan Royals notched up a 14-run victory over Chennai Super Kings to advance to the finals of the Champions League Twenty20.
Time is running out fast for the Mumbai right-hander with India having just 17 ODI matches before the 2019 World Cup in England next year.
Prithvi Shaw's inclusion comes as a fresh lease of life for the explosive batter who found himself out of reckoning in the Ranji Trophy.
Rohit, who didn't make it to the playing XI in the two-Test series in the West Indies, could be given another opportunity to revive his Test career, with the selectors looking towards him opening the innings.
Pat Cummins produced a vicious bowling onslaught to leave India battered and bruised as Australia took a 296-run lead on day three.
Jasprit Bumrah will have to squeeze every ounce of energy from his already overworked body, while Ajinkya Rahane will hope to get one final chance to save his international career when India take on England in the fifth and final Test, chasing a historic series win, in Manchester on Friday.
The South African's blistering 52 off 25 balls not only augurs well for him personally but for the franchise who are aiming to build a team from scratch for the next season.
Rahane spoke about how he channelised his energies during his two-month stay in Southampton, playing for the Hampshire.
The duo, along with Ajinkya Rahane from CSK and Suryakumar Yadav from the Mumbai Indians, arrived at the team's training base located at the picturesque Arundel Castle cricket club in West Sussex.
Dominic Xavier salutes Ajinkya Rahane and his team for giving India happiness and something to savour in these dark, scary, worrying times.
Kohli believes that both have been on the same page and know how this team functions.
Kohli's unwavering confidence and reputation as a chase master offer hope to Indian fans that he can guide India to an extraordinary triumph.
Former India batsmen Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Kaif hailed Ajinkya Rahane's unbeaten 104-run knock.
Sanjay Manjrekar said although Ajinkya Rahane has been getting some Test runs of late but the player himself would ideally like to be more consistent.
Opener Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan slammed centuries to help India humiliate Sri Lanka by a huge margin of 169 runs in the first One-Day International in Cuttack, on Sunday.
Virat Kohli has joined the growing list of celebrities, political leaders and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, to tweet on unity and farmers
'but in my mind, it was just about going out there and giving myself a few balls and just getting used to the speed of the game again and the atmosphere.'
New Zealand's bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets to reduce India to 239 for seven on Day 1 of the second Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Friday. The 24-year-old from Christchurch, who replaced Ish Sodhi, dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (1) and Murali Vijay (9) in the first 50 minutes in his brilliant first spell of 6-2-14-2 as the Kiwis seamers utilised the grassy condition to full effect after Kohli opted to bat.
Who do you feel is India's best bat for the No. 3 slot in the second Test against Sri Lanka, starting on Thursday, August 20.
Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli struck rousing centuries to drive India to 462-8 at stumps on Day 3, trailing Australia's mammoth first innings total of 530 by 68 runs with two wickets in hand, in the third Test.
Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan stroked solid half-centuries to power Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore and qualify for the play-offs.
India's star batters have lost a lot of confidence over the years by playing on rank turners, with their home averages taking a beating and affecting their careers adversely, feels former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
His century in the Perth Test during the 2018-2019 series is rated by many as his finest, which Virat Kohli also acknowledges as his best in Australia.
India finished the second day on 308 for four in 81 overs. They trail West Indies by just three runs, after the visitors were bowled out for 311 earlier in the day.
Insisting that Indian players have played on worse tracks back home, vice captain Ajinkya Rahane termed the Wanderers' pitch as 'challenging' and not dangerous.
