Interview with Ajinkya Rahane: "The key is keeping things simple and believing in myself"

How disappointing was it to lose series both in England and Australia despite you doing very well with bat?

It’s a part and parcel of the game. We had a young team and it was a great learning curve for each of us. We made a few mistakes and learned some valuable lessons and managed to put up the good show in the World Cup 2015.

India’s Ajinkya Rahane reaches a century during the 2014/15 Test series against Australia

Were you dejected after missing out on a Test hundred at Durban? How did you cope with it?

I regretted it for some time but quickly wriggled myself out from that frame of mind. The knock at Durban gave me tremendous confident, and I hammered a Test ton in New Zealand.

Was it at the back of your mind to do well overseas? What preparations did you make before the each tour?

I didn’t do anything special but yes I did put in a lot of hard work. At times, our Mumbai Ranji team coach Praveen Amre and I spent lots of hours in the nets. He gave me valuable insights about the condition of particular tours, and we discussed how to acclimatize quickly to excel. We also studied the strengths of bowlers I was poised to face on different tours. That helped me to step up and take up the cudgels.

Did you speak to Rahul Dravid or Sachin Tendulkar regarding batting in overseas conditions?

I always seek their suggestions and tips. Both of them are my role models. I have always looked up to them since my childhood. Sachin Paji always talks to me before the tour. He tells me to play my natural game and a chat with him invariably boosts my morale. Rahul bhai is our Rajasthan Royals Mentor. I am fortunate that I can spend a more time with him. He teaches me how to remain focused and keep myself calm at the crease.

How do you look back at the World Cup campaign? Are you satisfied with the performance of the Indian team?

I think we played splendid cricket throughout the tournament. Every player was supremely committed to come good. Mahi bhai led from the front and guided us with aplomb. He knows the strengths and capabilities of each player and assigns a particular role to the each member. We gave our 100 per cent and reached the semi-final undefeated.

What is the key to be successful in T20s as well as Tests?

I just play according to the situation whether I’m playing Test matches or limited-overs matches. I keep the things simple and believe in my capabilities. I reckon that’s the key.

What adjustments do you make while playing the IPL? Do you easily adapt while switching from the Test mode to the T20s?

Really, nothing much. I don’t experiment with my batting. I just play my shots whichever format I’m batting in. In T20s, bowlers are always under pressure compared to batsmen. I just wait for the right balls and play according to its merit.

There is a perception that at times you suddenly succumb to soft dismissals in the ODIs despite batting well.

Sometimes it happens that you try to play some shots and they don’t come off. But I make it a point to watch videos and try to ratify those errors in nets session.

Have you set any goals to attain in the next couple of years?

We all have one goal that is to give our 100 percent on the field. If you’re asking about my personal goal, then I want to see myself playing a significant role to help Team India lift the World T20 2016 and 2019 World Cup.