Skip to main content

"I Was Vice-Captain For...": Rahane On Return As India's Test Deputy

Ahead of the first Test against West Indies, Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane said that his side is not going to take the Windies lightly despite their recent struggles, which also include not being able to secure a spot for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, and missing out on the global cricketing extravaganza for the first time ever. India will kick off its ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 campaign with a two-Test series against West Indies, with the first Test from Wednesday in Dominica.

"We have had good preparation. We played a nice practice match. We as a team respect West Indies. They are not the ones to be taken lightly. West Indies has performed well at home during the last couple of years or so, especially in Tests. We are looking to give our 100 per cent and backing our gameplan and strengths," said Rahane in a pre-match press conference.

Rahane also expressed happiness for young Mumbai batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been called up for the national side for this series and could make his international debut.

"I am so happy for Jaiswal, he has worked so hard, scored runs for Mumbai in domestic cricket and the IPL. He is an exciting talent and the way he is batting is nice. My message to him is that he expresses himself while batting, plays with freedom and does not think much about the fact that he is playing international cricket," he said.

Jaiswal finished as the fifth-highest run scorer in IPL 2023, scoring 625 runs in 15 matches at an average of 48.07, with one century and five fifties. In his 15 first-class cricket appearances, he has scored 1,845 runs at an average of 80.21, with nine centuries and two fifties.

In the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara, Rahane said that there is an opportunity present for players to bat at number three.

Rahane expressed happiness on his return to the team and his role as vice-captain in the new WTC 2023-25 cycle.

"I am used to this role. I was vice-captain for 4-5 years. I am really happy to be back in the team, really happy to be back as vice-captain. I am still young, still a lot of cricket left in me. My IPL was good, so was my domestic cricket season. Currently, I am really enjoying my cricket. I do not want to think much about future. Now, every match is important, be it for me or from the team's point of view. I am focusing on that," he said.



source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/i-was-vice-captain-for-ajinkya-rahane-on-return-as-indias-test-deputy-against-west-indies-4195814

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

156.7 Kmph Sensation Awaits India Debut, Bangladesh Start Life After Shakib

Pace sensation Mayank Yadav is expected to unleash his raw speed while the absence of India's T20 regulars will provide another opportunity to the fringe players in the three-match series against Bangladesh, beginning here Sunday. Having consistently generated speed in excess of 150kmph in his maiden IPL earlier this year, Mayank had drawn the attention of the cricketing world before a side strain ruled him out of the tournament. Usually, one has to prove fitness in domestic cricket to be considered for national selection but the 22-year-old has been fast-tracked into the side considering his special talent. The series against Bangladesh will be a test of his fitness and temperament. It is yet to be figured if he can display the same accuracy and control that he exhibited in the IPL. Besides Mayank, fellow Delhi pacer Harshit Rana and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy could also make their India debut over the course of the series. Nitish was picked for the Zimbabwe tour post the T...

PCB Not Happy With Pak Star Over Social Media Post On Babar Snub: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not pleased that Fakhar Zaman questioned the selection panel's decision to sideline Babar Azam from the Test side. The panel dropped former captain Babar Azam when they announced the squad for the remaining two Tests against England in Multan and Rawalpindi. Zaman took to X to question the decision, inviting the ire of the PCB. "The top board officials are not pleased with the tweet sent out by Fakhar and relevant persons are having a word with him about it," a well-informed PCB source said. "It's concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn't bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. "If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on sa...

Shakib Al Hasan's Fans Attacked During Protest In Dhaka Amid Tight Security

A group of people attacked Shakib Al Hasan's fans during a protest in Dhaka on Sunday amid tight security, an eye witness said. Shakib Al Hasan wanted to retire from Test cricket by playing the series against South Africa in Bangladesh. The BCB responded positively to his request and included him in the squad against South Africa. But he was advised by the Bangladesh government not to enter the country due to security reasons while in transit through Dubai on his way back to Bangladesh from the US. Fans had been protesting outside the cricket stadium in Mirpur for several days to protest against Shakib's ban from playing the farewell Test in Bangladesh. On Sunday, a group of people suddenly attacked them with sticks. At that time, the army and law enforcement personnel who were there brought the situation under control by blowing whistles. Notably, Shakib officially joined the Awami League party in 2023. He filed the nomination from the Magura-1 parliamentary seat as an Awami...