Ajinkya Rahane opens up on his selection in India's squad for the ICC WTC final

Ajinkya Rahane returned to the Indian test side after a long gap of over a year.

Experienced Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has opened up on his selection for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June. The right-handed batter took time to reflect on his career and observed how the journey is not always smooth and that one must stick to the process

Ajinkya Rahane's IPL 2023 and domestic cricket form paid off as the selectors included him in the WTC squad to face Australia at The Oval on June 7th. The veteran cricketer boasts of one of the highest strike rates in IPL 2023, striking at 199.04 in five matches alongside scoring 209 runs. He also performed well for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, accumulating 634 runs in seven games at 57.63.

In his official LinkedIn profile, Ajinkya Rahane said he has learnt that it's paramount to stick to the process without worrying about the results and that disappointments have taught him a lot.

"In my career as a professional cricketer, I have realized that the journey is not always smooth sailing. There are moments when things don't go as planned, and it becomes tempting to get bogged down by the result. However, I have learned that it is essential to stick to the process and not let the outcome affect our focus. As I look back on my career, I realize that the moments when I stuck to the process, despite the unfavourable result, were the ones that taught me the most. These are the moments that helped me grow as a person and as a cricketer. I realized that the times when I let the result dictate my approach were not my finest moments."

"I have learned to not let the pressure get to me and focus on the things that I can control" - Ajinkya Rahane

The 82-Test veteran further stated that the only advice he would give to youngsters is not to let the pressure of expectations deflect them from the task at hand. He added:

"As someone who has been in the spotlight for several years, I know that the expectations can be overwhelming. However, I have learned to not let the pressure get to me and focus on the things that I can control. It is the same advice that I would give to anyone who is looking to advance in their field. So, let us all focus on the process and trust in our abilities."

Rahane will be in action on Thursday when the Chennai Super Kings take on the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.