Ajinkya Rahane, at 37, Wants to Make a Comeback in Test Cricket

Despite turning 37, Ajinkya Rahane has not lost his batting touch, and ended the 2024-25 Ranji season on a high with 467 runs in 14 innings.

Ajinkya Rahane, at 37, Wants to Make a Comeback in Test Cricket

Ajinkya Rahane still hopes to make a comeback to the Indian Test team. (via ICC Review)

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Out-of-favor veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane, who has not played for the Men in Blue in almost two years now, expressed his strong desire to return to the red-ball side. He emphasized that his ‘hunger’ to play for India remains potent, regardless of the lack of communication from selectors.

Ajinkya Rahane made his Test debut in March, 2013, against Australia in Delhi. In his 85 appearances for the Indian red-ball side after that, Rahane accumulated 5,077 runs with an average of 38.46, registering 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries. The high point of the Mumbai batter’s career was in 2017, when he captained the team during the 2016-17 Border-Gavaskar Trophy final Test, filling in for Virat Kohli. 

Interestingly, the 37-year-old has an impressive record as Test skipper, remaining undefeated in all six matches he led India. As captain, he guided the team to four wins and two draws, including two victories against Australia away from home.

Apart from that, Rahane has also played 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is, scoring over 3,000 runs, with three centuries and 25 fifties. His last Test appearance was against the West Indies in 2023, after which he lost his place in the side.

The Indian team has since then undergone a generational shift, with older and more experienced players making way for younger talents. Moreover, with the sudden retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format, and Shubman Gill taking over as the new captain, senior players like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are unlikely to find a place in the squad.

Despite facing intense competition and having received no clear communication from the BCCI regarding his selection, Ajinkya Rahane remains hopeful of getting an opportunity. He most recently expressed his emotions, while speaking in an interview on Sky Sports, on the sidelines of the Lord’s. Rahane noted his desire to make a return to the Team India setup, while stressing that he remains focused solely on the controllable aspects of his career:

I still want to play Test cricket. I’m really passionate about playing Test cricket, and at this moment, I’m enjoying my cricket.

Rahane highlighted his preparedness ahead of the domestic season, mentioning that he even carries his training kit to remain fit, even in England. He also revealed the details of his conversations with the BCCI selectors, noting that he has not received any positive feedback from them. Nonetheless, Ajinkya Rahane affirmed he would not allow these setbacks to derail his motivation, prioritizing his passion for the sport:

See, for me, it’s all about focusing on the controllable things. Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but again, there are things as a player I cannot control. I got no response.

Despite being out of the national side, Ajinkya Rahane has continued to perform impressively in domestic cricket, leading Mumbai to the 2023-24 Ranji and 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali titles. He was last seen in action in the 2025 IPL for the KKR, where he scored 390 runs at a strike rate of 147.27.

Reliving Ajinkya Rahane’s Iconic 103 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground Against England in 2014

With Ajinkya Rahane on the sidelines of the third Test between India and England at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, it reminded many of his iconic knock at the same venue back in 2014. Rahane had scored 103 runs off 154 deliveries, helping India win the match.

Ajinkya Rahane 100 Lord's
Ajinkya Rahane scored an iconic 103 runs at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, in 2014. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

Rahane’s 103 runs may seem modest, but it came at a phase when the Indian side was struggling to get runs and had lost a few early wickets. His innings, including 15 fours and a six, aided the Men in Blue to post a respectable 295 in their first innings, at Lord’s. Rahane’s second innings was however disappointing, as he was dismissed for a mere five runs.

Ultimately, India emerged victorious by 95 runs in that match, held between July 17 and July 21, 2014. The win was driven by exceptional bowling performances, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar claiming six wickets in the first innings and Ishant Sharma taking seven in the second.