"I will never give up": Ajinkya Rahane harbors hopes of playing Test cricket again

Ajinkya Rahane still hopeful of making a return to the Indian test side.

Out-of-favour Indian Test batter Ajinkya Rahane hasn't given up on playing red-ball cricket again after a whirlwind knock against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. The right-hander said he believes in taking one match at a time and staying in the moment.

Ajinkya Rahane, plying his trade for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2023, was on fire as he struck the fastest half-century of the season to lead the four-time champions to an emphatic seven-wicket win. The 34-year-old hit 61 off 27 balls, laced with seven fours and three sixes, coming in the middle after Devon Conway perished in the first over.

Speaking at a press conference after the Super Kings' win, Ajinkya Rahane said he harbors hopes of making it to the Test side again as anything can happen before the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final in June.

"Still, a long way to go for the WTC final. Today, I was not sure about my place in the eleven, and got to know just before the toss. For me, it is about playing one game at a time and staying in the moment. Anything can happen. I will never give up. For me, it is about playing with enjoyment and passion."

Ajinkya Rahane, who hasn't played a Test since January 2022 due to poor form, has a shot at playing in the ICC WTC final against Australia at The Oval, given Shreyas Iyer will miss the fixture due to a back injury. The Maharashtra-born player has batted at number five in 102 Test innings and averages 37.03 with eight centuries.

"Mahi bhai's instruction was completely clear" - Ajinkya Rahane

The veteran player credited CSK skipper MS Dhoni for giving him clarity about the role he must play and encouraging him to keep it simple. He added:

"Mahi bhai's instruction was completely clear, just play with intent, back yourself, don't change anything else. If your intent is good, I have the shots that I can play at any ground so it was all about keeping it simple for me. I'm happy to bat anywhere. It's all about your mindset and what you want to do for your team. The way I know how I play, my strengths, my timing. I just want to back myself. I've never tried to be someone else."

The Super Kings will next face the Rajasthan Royals at home on Wednesday.