Ajinkya Rahane gets a pleasant surprise from family on his return from Sri Lanka

Ajinkya Rahane looks at his portrait that now adorns the walls of his new home

Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane was in for a pleasant surprise from his family on his return from Sri Lanka, DNAIndia reports. The Rahanes shifted to their new house on Saturday and the 27-year-old was greeted with a life-size sketch of one of his trademark shots which had already been hung up on the walls of his new home.

Rahane and the rest of the Indian team returned back to India last week after completing their first away series victory for four years and the first series victory in Sri Lanka since 1993. The Mumbaikar’s family had already planned to shift to their new home in Mulund, where they also had their previous house, after Rahane’s return from the tour, and his father made it an occasion that Rahane wouldn’t forget for a long time.

Rahane Sr. contacted his friend and artist Manish Parab, who learned his trade at the prestigious Sir JJ School of Art, to paint a portrait of Rahane and Manish chose one of Rahane’s most iconic shots as the theme for his painting.

"Ajinkya did not know about it and was pleasantly surprised to see the huge sketch on the wall," a friend said. "The family had planned to shift to their new home after Ajinkya's return from Sri Lanka. They did so on Saturday, an auspicious day (Janmashtami). Nobody in the Rahane household has stopped smiling because their dear boy scored a century at number three and, more importantly, helped India win the series 2-1.”

Rahane had an outstanding series in Sri Lanka where he scored a brilliant century in the 2nd Test match which helped India equalise the series at 1-1. He also became the world-record holder for most number of catches in a Test match by a non-wicketkeeper by taking 8 catches in the 1st Test at The Galle.

But the moment chosen by Manish dates back to India’s tour of England in 2014. In the second Test at Lord’s, which India eventually went on to win, Rahane singlehandedly held the innings together for the visitors scoring a brilliant century that helped India post a respectable total of 295 in the first innings. He carried on his form into the ODI series as well and the picture that inspired the painter was his lofted drive over the mid-off region that he played during the third match of the series held at Nottingham.

Rahane’s trademark lofted drive over the mid-off fielder