MUMBAI: For a team which had its No 10 and No 11 batsmen \u2014 Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande \u2014 scoring centuries in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal win over Baroda \u2014 batting shouldn\u2019t be a worry. However, that\u2019s not exactly the case with Mumbai, as their captain Ajinkya Rahane, who was out for just 3 & 0 in the last match, bowled in both innings by left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt, is perhaps enduring the worst form of his career, having made just 115 runs in six matches at an average of 12.77 in the Ranji Trophy this season.
While he has led the team well, Rahane \u2014 a pale shadow of a man who stroke a match-deciding century against Australia in the MCG Test while captaining India to a famous win in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar series in Australia \u2014 must somehow dust off this forgettable run and start making his vast experience and class count at this stage.<\/p>\n
Before the semi-final clash against Tamil Nadu<\/a> at the MCA\u2019s ground in BKC, the 35-year-old, who is batting well in the nets but struggling to time in the ball in the match, made the right noise about \u201crespecting this phase.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cSometimes, it\u2019s just a phase. You have to respect that. When you\u2019re batting well and when you\u2019re scoring runs, again, you\u2019re going through that phase, scoring consistently. And I think there\u2019s nothing wrong with my batting. (I\u2019ve to) Be positive and back my game and instinct. Whatever experience I have, I just have to go out there and play freely. You don\u2019t want to go far too ahead. Even in this, I feel as a player, you have to be confident, move forward and try to learn whatever you can,\u201d Rahane philosophized while talking to the reporters on Friday.
At this stage of his career, Rahane knows that should he fail to come to the party in the Ranji Trophy knockouts, Mumbai\u2019s selectors might even be forced to pull the plug next season.<\/div>\n