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Mumbai skipper, Ajinkya Rahane remains as hungry as ever for success after scoring a crucial century in Mumbai’s quarterfinal clash.
Ajinkya Rahane scored a century to help push Mumbai to a 152-run win over Haryana. (Image: PTI)
It has been over a year and a half since Ajinkya Rahane’s last appearance in international cricket. Yet the veteran batter and leader’s love for red-ball cricket remains the same. But his focus now remains on helping Mumbai and pushing them on in their journey as leaders in domestic cricket.
He played a crucial role in Mumbai’s quarterfinal clash against Haryana where he scored a second-innings century to help take a significant lead as they went on to win the game by 152 runs.
“I am batting well now. Mushtaq Ali went very well. I have scored runs in earlier matches. I am happy with my batting,” Rahane said as quoted by PTI, following Mumbai’s entry into the semifinals.
Despite the plaudits, Rahane’s sole focus is to play with a positive attitude and ensure he gives all he has to offer when on the field. He believes that the hunger pushes him forward to continue delivering outstanding performances even at his age.
“I always think that I should play cricket with a good attitude and give more than 100 per cent. Whatever happens in the future, no one can stop it. My job is to play cricket with a good attitude. And, whatever happens in the future will be good.
“If you are not hungry, then there is nothing inside. So, you should be hungry to play. But, right now, my mind is on domestic cricket”.
“Batting, bowling, and performance can always go up and down. But for me, strength is my attitude. And, I play with this passion. As I said, for me, Test cricket is always at the top. And, that hunger is still alive. The fire inside me is still alive.”
With India’s next assignment being the tour to England, Rahane does not want to put such distractions in his head at the moment and has his target set to defend their Ranji Trophy title.
“That’s in June. There’s still a lot of time.
“Right now, we have a Ranji Trophy semifinal to play. We’ll go home tomorrow, take a couple of days off, and then focus on the next match,” he said.
