Ajinkya Rahane calls the Delhi ton against South Africa a memorable one

Ajinkya Rahane has scored the lone century of the India South Africa Test series

Almost two-and-a-half years back, in a Delhi Test, India were in a similar situation. The series was already sealed, and the last game was a consolation.

A 25-year old Ajinkya Rahane walked out to bat, for the first time in an India shirt, and had a horrendous match. He got out to playing nervous strokes on 7 and 1, and was dropped consequently.

Two-and-a-half years, and multiple Test series later, Rahane walked again at the Feroz Shah Kotla, albeit this time, as India’s most consistent batsman. He still had a point to prove though, as after travelling the world and getting hundreds almost every series that he played in, he was still without a ton at home.

It came late, but it came finally where it had all started. "It is a very special hundred for me because I made my debut in Delhi against Australia," Rahane told ESPN Cricinfo.

"So I had a few things in my mind. Those memories against Australia. I was pretty determined to bat well as I knew that I was batting really well in the series”.

“But it was important to spend time in the middle and later on look for a big innings. So really happy for the hundred but especially for the partnerships, which I got with [R] Ashwin, Virat [Kohli] and [Ravindra] Jadeja. That took us to 330."

Got out in first two Tests because was playing shots from beginning: Rahane

Given that for the first time in the series, the pitch was an even one, this hundred gains prime importance. There was help for the fast bowlers, which was exploited to its full potential by Kyle Abbott and Morne Morkel, and some turn as well when the ball got old.

This made shot making hard, not as difficult as on those rank-turners, but not easy either. "Shot making was not easy but once you are set, you decide that you are not going to get out," Rahane said.

“For bowlers, it is important to show patience and bowl in right areas but as a batsman, I feel spending time in the middle, taking my time, playing normal cricket, rather than play attacking shots. Not easy for shot making, not difficult as well."

A stroke-maker by instinct, Rahane said that he had to buy his own time, before playing his shots. "First two Test matches, I was looking to play shots initially and that's why I got out," he said.

“Talking to Sanjay Bangar and Ravi bhai [Shastri], they said you have just got to take your time initially, play one ball at a time, if you are 25 to 30 your instincts will take over,” he added further.

Rahane batted throughout the Indian innings, and shifted gears according to the situation. He played the silent supporter for Kohli, the recuperator after the collapse, and then attacked when he and Ashwin were set.

Batting with Ashwin was really important: Rahane

Talking about the lower order’s contribution and the past occasions when he had batted with the tail, Rahane expressed pleasure on the way he and Ashwin stitched a vital partnership that dragged India out of trouble.

Rahane’s coach, Pravin Amre, also mentioned the centurion’s discipline and perseverance that he showed, along with the exemplary footwork- he hit 4 sixes stepping out from the crease.

Often lamented for their tail that doesn’t wag, the numbers 8,9,10, and 11 have been as much in the side for batting as for their bowling, with Ashwin, Jadeja and Mishra having contributed vitally with the bat, with them adding as many as 90 runs with the bat for the last 4 wickets during the first innings at Nagpur.

"If guys at 8, 9, 10, 11 can contribute then opposition's morale goes down. Batting with Ashwin was really important. Communication was just play normal cricket. Ashwin can bat as he has got two hundreds. Important to build a partnership," said Rahane.

He had bailed India out of trouble from a similar situation in their last Test victory outside Asia, at Lords, in 2014. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar was his compatriot back then, in what was a memorable hundred, and a memorable victory for India.

Despite having not failed in a single Test series after his debut, Rahane averages under 40 in Tests. That is only to improve, given the way he has developed his game over the years.