5 instances when Rahane rescued India from a difficult situation

Ajinkya Rahane is without doubt one of the best batsmen in India's current Test batting line-up. The biggest proof of this is the fact that 4 out of his 5 centuries in Test cricket have come in overseas conditions. Blessed with an excellent technique and a great temperament, Rahane looks all set to enter the big league of great Indian batsmen.In his shortish career so far, the talented Mumbai batsman has already bailed India out of trouble quite a few times, mostly in Tests abroad. Here we take a look at 5 instances when Ajinkya Rahane rescued Team India from a tricky situation:

#5 126 vs Sri Lanka at Colombo, 2015

Rahane’s efforts with the bat set up the match for India

During India’s tour to Sri Lanka this year, the team management were in quite a quandry when it came to the No. 3 position in the batting line-up. After losing the 1^st Test, they tried Ajinkya Rahane at the position, an experiment which failed in the first innings as he was dismissed for 4.

In the 2^nd innings, India needed to build on a lead of 87 and set an imposing target for the home side. Opener KL Rahul fell cheaply reducing India to 1 for 3 when Rahane came in to bat. The class batsman forged a terrific partnership of 140 runs with Murali Vijay.

With Vijay’s departure, Rahane took it on himself to take India to a big score and he did it successfully with a masterful 126 as Team India declared on 8 for 325. The total was defended easily by the bowlers as Sri Lanka folded up for a mere 134.

Even though Rahane did not get the man-of the-match award, it was his innings that set up India’s victory.

#4 118 vs New Zealand at Wellington, 2014

Ajinkya Rahane scored a brilliant ton against New Zealand last year

Even though the situation not precisely too bad for India having bowled out hosts New Zealand for 192 in their 1^st innings, they still required a big first-innings lead to put their opponents under pressure. Despite a brilliant 98 by Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order, the Indians were at 6 for 228 at one stage and in threat of being bowled out.

However, Ajinkya Rahane had other ideas as he went along his merry way to bring up a strokeful century and help India get a strong 438 on the board. He built some excellent partnerships, particularly one with Dhoni which was worth 120 runs.

Although the Test match ended in a draw mainly due to Brendn McCullum mammoth 302, Rahane’s performance drew a lot of praises.

#3 96 vs South Africa at Durban, 2013

Rahane played a defiant knock of 96 in his very first overseas tour

It was a knock which reminded one of an Indian batting legend who stood firm like a rock irrespective of what was happening around him, Rahul Dravid. Dravid happens to be Ajinkya Rahane’s idol and he showed in this innings what he had learned from watching the master batsman at work.

South Africa had enforced a lead of 166 after their 1^st innings and India were tottering at 4 for 71 in their 2^nd innings when Rahane came in to bat. While everything around him was falling apart, the young Indian batsman was playing a different match altogether.

The way in which he held the things together even when batting with the tail was incredible to watch. His 96 ensured that India did not lose the match by an innings and also took a lead of 57 runs.

This innings from Ajinkya Rahane showed early signs of his ability to produce the goods for his team when needed most.

#2 127 vs South Africa at Delhi, 2015

Rahane got his first hundred at home in the ongoing Test at Delhi

Ajinkya Rahane’s latest rescue act has come in the ongoing Test between India and South Africa at Delhi. The Proteas bowlers had India on the mat after having reduced them to 6 for 139; however, yet another masterclass from Rahane has ensured that the home team ended their innings with 334 on the board.

‘Jinx’, as he is fondly called, walked in with India in a spot of bother at 3 for 66 and straightaway stitched up a useful 70-run partnership with skipper Virat Kohli. After Kohli got out, Ajinkya Rahane stood fort even as wickets tumbled at the other end.

He got some support from Ravindra Jadeja and both put on 59 for the 7^th wicket. However, it was his 98-run stand with offie Ravichandran Ashwin which not only pulled India out of trouble but also put them in a commanding situation later on.

Rahane finally fell with the Indian score on 296, but not before he had scored a spectacular 127 and got the team out of jail yet again.

#1 103 vs England at Lord\'s, 2014

Rahane played the best innings of his career at Lord’s last year

Ajinkya Rahane played one of the best innings by an Indian batsman in recent memory at Lord’s on India’s 2014 tour to England. India were 3 wickets down for 86 after being put in to bat first when Rahane walked in and further disintergrated to 7 for 145 when Pujara, Dhoni, Jadeja and Binny fell in quick session.

This situation seemed to bring the best out of the talented Mumbaikar as he took the mantle of resurrecting the Indian innings on his shoulders. What followed was an innings of pure class with an ideal mix of caution and aggression as Ajinkya Rahane went on to register his first ton on English soil.

On course to his century, Rahane forged two crucial partnerships of 90 and 40 with lower-order batsmen Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami respectively which propelled the Indian team’s score to 275 by the time he was dismissed.

India went on to register a famous victory by 95 runs, however, it would not have been possible had it not been for Ajinkya Rahane’s Day 1 heroics.