Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane gets ready for another domestic season with Test hopes intact

‌Even in the age of global franchise leagues and the frenzy of white-ball cricket, Ajinkya Rahane continues to romance Test cricket. Though the former Indian vice-captain last played a Test for India in the West Indies tour in July 2023, Rahane still hopes of making a comeback to the side as he gears up for another gruelling domestic season with Mumbai.

With the selectors having moved past him and former teammate Cheteshwar Pujara, the 37-year-old Rahane continues to make the hard yards in the domestic circuit in a bid to play international cricket again. He captained Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, taking them to the semi-final of the premier domestic competition. The middle-order batter had a tally of 467 runs, including a hundred and a fifty, at an average of 35.92 for Mumbai last season.

"I still want to play Test cricket," Rahane told Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton in an interview with Sky Sports. "I'm really passionate about playing Test cricket. I'm enjoying my cricket at the moment.

"I'm here just for a few days. I carried my trainers and my training clothes so that I can keep myself fit. Our domestic season is starting, so preparations have just begun."

Rahane has represented India in 85 Test matches, scoring 5077 runs at an average of 38.46 with 12 hundreds and 26 fifties to his name. He was also India’s top run-getter, and fifth overall, in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship with a tally of 1159 runs at an average of 42.92 in the 2019-21 cycle.

But he has been out of the selectors’ radar for a while now, with his form spiralling down during the last three years. But he vowed to continue making the best effort from his side because of his love for the game, especially the longer format.

"For me, it's all about focusing on the controllable things," Rahane said. "Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but things [like that are] as a player I cannot control. I got no response. As a player, all I can do is keep playing cricket, keep enjoying the game, give my best each and every time. I love playing Test cricket, love playing red-ball, it's a passion. The love for the game keeps me going."