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Rosseau: Ajinkya Rahane said that Team India captain Rohit Sharma gives a lot of freedom to his players and has all the qualities of a great captain ahead of the two-Test series against the West Indies starting in Roseau, Dominica from Wednesday. Rahane returned to red-ball cricket after a gap of 18 months when he was included in the World Test Championship final against Australia last month.
A veteran of 83 Tests, Rahane, who was vice-captain to former skipper Virat Kohli in the past, has been named India’s vice-captain for the West Indies series. “I am used to this role. I was the vice-captain for about four-five years. I am really happy to be back in the team and back as the vice-captain,” Rahane told reporters on Monday.
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When #TeamIndia captain @ImRo45 reporter turned vice captain @jinkyarahane88press conference of
What do you understand by questions _ #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/VCEbrLfxrq– BCCI (@BCCI) 11 July 2023
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“WTC final was the first game where I played under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma. Rohit gives freedom to all the players and these are good traits of a great captain,” said Rahane, who led India to the famous Test series win in Australia in 2019-2020.
When Rahane was asked about making a comeback to the national team at the age of 35, he was a bit irked and insisted that he is still young and has a lot of cricket left in him. “What do you mean at this age? I’m still young man. He said, “I still have a lot of cricket left in me.”
“I had a good IPL and domestic season. My confidence as a batsman has increased but I have also worked a lot on my fitness in the last year and a half. I have worked on some aspects of my batting. At the moment I am enjoying my cricket. I am not thinking much about the future. Right now every match is important for me.”
Rahane returned to the team on the back of a good Ranji season and his impressive performances for Chennai Super Kings during IPL 2023. “In IPL, CSK has given me freedom. As a player, when you are given a role, you try to fulfill it. Earlier in the IPL, my role was that of an anchor, but the CSK team management gave me freedom and wanted me to play my natural game,” said Rahane, who scored 326 runs at a strike rate of 172.49.
“I am a natural stroke player. So just my role has changed. I always try to fulfill the role assigned to me and here also I will try to fulfill the role Rohit has given me.”
India dropped Cheteshwar Pujara while senior pacer Mohammed Shami has been rested for the West Indies series and Rahane said it would be a great opportunity for others to lend a hand. “It will be a great opportunity for the guy who will play in place of Pujara. I am not sure who will play at number 3 but I am sure whoever gets the chance will do well.
He said, “There will also be a good chance for the fast bowlers playing in place of Shami. Siraj is there, Jaidev is also experienced. This is an opportunity for everyone to perform well. Mohammed Shami is obviously a senior bowler, he has done well for us but you need to rest him as there is a long season ahead.
