Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

Ajinkya Rahane confident of reclaiming his place in India ODI squad

Ajinkya Rahane is not overtly worried over his loss of place in the India ODI squad

By Unnikrishnan
Ajinkya Rahane is confident of returning to the India ODI side

Mumbai, May 29: Ajinkya Rahane has been dropped from India's limited over side after a vastly underwhelming series against South Africa earlier this year.

"I am not at all frustrated; actually I can tell you this is actually motivating me because I am looking to make a comeback. Right now, my focus is on Test cricket. I still believe that I can come back and do well in the shorter formats with the World Cup coming up," said Rahane during the CEAT awards here.

Rahane said he has the conviction that he can make a return to the limited over set up. The right-hander made 370 runs for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018 but looked far from his best.

"I still believe in myself. It is important that you should have that belief. I did well in ODI cricket when I got my opportunity in the West Indies. I got man of the series award, again against Australia I did really well. In South Africa, the team management asked me to bat at No. 4 and I did well.

"So, it is just a matter of time. I always focused on what I need to do and I am not at all worried. I am still confident that I will make a comeback and do well for my country in the shorter format," he said.

But before that Rahane has set his focus on the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June and the series against England in July.

"It is important that you get time to prepare yourself and clarity is important when you know that you are not in the ODI squad and you just going to play Test matches in England. I will get a good amount of time for the Afghanistan Test and after that for the England tour.

England had lost the first Test of the two-match series against Pakistan at Lord's but Rahane said it was naive to take a team lightly in international cricket.

"It is very hard to judge (England) right now. Playing in England against England is always a challenge. Yes, Pakistan played very well. They bowled and batted well, but there's still a long way to go for our first Test in England.

"It's very hard to take anything for granted, we have a great chance because the cricket that we played in South Africa as well, though we lost the first two Tests, was fantastic. Yes, we have a team that can do well abroad, especially in England, Australia and New Zealand later on.

"But it is important that rather than thinking about England's strengths or weaknesses, we should focus on what we have as a bowling and batting unit and we should look to capitalise from the word go.

"We don't want to take anyone lightly, Afghanistan or England. It is important that we should play to our strength. The team which we have is really good and the bowling and batting unit is doing well, but right now our focus should be on Afghanistan Test and then think about England," said Rahane.

Story first published: Tuesday, May 29, 2018, 14:01 [IST]
Other articles published on May 29, 2018