Former India cricketer and game great Sunil Gavaskar believes Ajinkya Rahane would have a point to make against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The one-off Championship event will take place from June 7 to 12 at The Oval in London.
After a 15-month absence, Rahane will make his return to the Indian team in the longest format of the game in the second edition of the WTC final. The 34-year-old’s last Test match for India came against South Africa in January 2022.
Rahane has a lot of experience playing in England, according to Gavaskar, and will be vital for the Rohit Sharma-led squad, batting at No.5. The 73-year-old believes Rahane has a lot of cricket left in him and that the one-off Test will be an excellent opportunity for him.
The Indian cricket legend is hoping that with all of his expertise, he would be able to grasp this opportunity and reclaim his place in the Indian team.
“He’s got a lot of experience having played in England, having scored runs in England. So, yes, I think he is going to be crucial down at number 5. And yes, I do believe he has a point to prove, I still feel he has got plenty of cricket left in him, and this is a wonderful opportunity for him. I’m hoping he will be able to grab this opportunity with all the experience that he has and make a place for him back in the Indian team,”
Gavaskar told Star Sports.
After being ousted from the team, the 34-year-old batter returned to the domestic circuit, heading the Mumbai team in the Ranji Trophy. The veteran Indian batsman had a fantastic IPL season with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), rebuilding himself in the game’s shortest format.
Notably, he won his first IPL title with the MS Dhoni-led Chennai, defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) in a rain-shortened final on May 30, Tuesday, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In the 16th edition of the cash-rich league, he scored 326 runs in 14 innings, including two half-centuries at a strike rate of 172.48.
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