Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly bestowed praise on Ajinkya Rahane for his sensational performance against Australia in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval. He stated that many had written him off, but despite wickets falling at the other end, he fought valiantly. In the decisive WTC 2023 Final, when the going got difficult and the odds were stacked against him, Rahane produced an exceptional knock.
India, who were attempting to score 469 runs, got off to a dreadful start, losing their top four batters in quick succession, and at 71/4, they were in grave trouble. It appeared as though the opposition would conclude the innings by demoralising India’s batting unit. Ajinkya Rahane, however, thwarted their intentions by playing outstanding cricket. The right-handed batsman initially formed a crucial 71-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (48), then a crucial 109-run partnership with Shardul Thakur (51).
Sourav Ganguly, the former president of the BCCI, praised Rahane’s 18-month comeback to Test cricket after his innings. He noted that even Rahane would have written himself off, but that he ultimately made a successful comeback with his hit and should be proud of himself.
“How wonderful it is, 18 months later. He (Rahane) was absent from Test cricket for 18 months. Many, including himself, had written him off. In Indian cricket, it is difficult for a batsman to return and make a statement. I believe it is fantastic. In the past, there have been numerous comebacks, but none after such a lengthy absence. He was remarkable. Despite wickets tumbling at the other end, he fought valiantly. He will be incredibly pleased with his accomplishments up until lunch,” Ganguly said on Star Sports.
Shardul Thakur has performed admirably for India. Ganguly Ganguly also lauded Shardul Thakur’s exceptional fifty. Notably, Thakur scored his third fifty in a row at the venue and played a crucial role in stabilising India’s innings.
“He demonstrated to the dressing room that if you apply yourself and have a little bit of luck, as India does, you will be able to bat on this wicket. Rahane was magnificent, as was Shardul Thakur. He has played well at the bat for India. It’s a good match for India,” Ganguly continued.
After an absence of 18 months, Rahane returned to the Indian national team and demonstrated on the largest stage that he belongs there. By scoring 89 runs in 129 deliveries against the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland, he helped India get close to Australia’s score and avert the follow-on.
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