“Never short on efforts” - Ajinkya Rahane posts picture with steely look on Instagram

Experienced Team India batter Ajinkya Rahane has shared a picture from his gym session on his Instagram handle. The 33-year-old is looking determined and focused in the image.

While uploading the picture to his social media handle, the former India vice-captain wrote:

“Never short on efforts.”

A few days back, Rahane had shared a clip of his intense workout session on his Instagram account with the caption, “Dedicated to the process”.

The middle-order batter has been struggling for runs for the last two seasons in Test cricket. Since the start of 2020, Rahane has managed only 819 runs in 19 Tests at an average of 24.08. His only hundred during this period came in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in 2020.

Despite his extended lean run, the Mumbai batter retained his place in the Indian team for the Test tour of South Africa, but was stripped of vice-captaincy. However, he failed to grab his opportunity yet again, scoring just 136 runs at an average of 22.66 with a solitary fifty.

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“I feel it is just a question of confidence” - Mumbai coach Amol Muzumdar on Ajinkya Rahane’s rut

Rahane is currently training with the Mumbai team ahead of the Ranji Trophy season, which will begin on February 10.

Mumbai coach Amol Muzumdar has expressed confidence that the experienced batter will be able to regain form and confidence during the domestic tournament.

Muzumdar told PTI:

"Ajinkya is definitely looking forward to it. We have met a few times now, he has been practising with the Mumbai team. He has had about couple of sessions already. Looked absolutely in fine touch."

He added:

"We don't have to look too much into the future but what is lying ahead of us is Ranji Trophy. They both are due for a big one. I feel it is just a question of confidence. Sometimes batting is nothing but confidence. If you can regain that confidence somehow. It will come only if you score a big hundred."

India's next Test assignment will be a two-match series against Sri Lanka at home, which is likely to begin in the first week of March.