Ajinkya Rahane picked a rain-hit day to make some points to the Indian selectors. Minutes after a composed 159 for Mumbai against Chhattisgarh at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy, BKC, the 37-year-old spoke at length about selection, age labels, and the value of experience.
He made it clear that he felt he had more to give on India’s 2024-25 tour of Australia.
Speaking to reporters at the ground, Rahane dismissed the age factor, cited the example of former players, and underlined the need for balance between ‘young blood and know-how. He even offered advice to Sarfaraz Khan. Rahane’s interaction with the media was equal parts venting and vulnerability, delivered with the calm of a man coming off his 42nd first-class century.
Rahane makes a case for himself
Rahane’s central argument was that selection should prize intent and craft over candles on a cake. “It is not about the age, it is about the passion for red-ball,” Rahane said when asked about the fact that the 34-plus is automatically considered ‘old’ in Indian cricket.
He cited the example of Mike Hussey, how the Aussie batter made a late debut but gave heavy returns, to argue for experience in away Tests. “Experience matters in red-ball cricket,” Rahane said, adding that he “personally’ felt India needed him in Australia. The sting sat in what followed, “There was no communication,” he said, stressing he stayed focused on the controllables but believed he should have gotten “more chances.”
Rahane’s larger point stretched beyond his own case. In the elite series, he argued, it is the balance that matters in a team composition. “Young blood is important,” he said, but alongside experience, teams do better, especially over five days. He spoke about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s recent ODI heroics Down Under as proof that old hands still turn big moments. “You cannot go with all newcomers,” Rahane said, before smiling and adding that he was really happy to see Rohit bring up a hundred.
There was a personal chord too. The hundred, at a time when whispers swirled about his place even in Mumbai’s XI, clearly meant something. He spoke of “unwanted people” talking without context, then circled back to gratitude, family, and kids, telling him that he can still do it. It was a revealing glimpse of a veteran rebuilding form and fighting noise with performances.
He finished the interaction with advice for the young Sarfaraz Khan. He said that the batter must not get distracted and keep scoring runs, while keeping his head down and controlling the controllable. It sounded like counsel he is living by himself.