Ajinkya Rahane Finally Overcomes Jinx at Home With Workmanlike 89 Not Out
Ajinkya Rahane averaged a meagre 7.83 at home with his highest score being 15 in Mohali. On Thursday, he scored his first half-century on Indian soil at Feroz Shah Kotla
It was a jinx that left many scratching their heads but finally India batsman Ajinkya Rahane (89 not out) has overcome a dry spell of runs like no other at home. (Ajinkya Rahane Helps India Share Day 1 Honours After Dane Piedt Dazzles for South Africa on Test Return)
The right-hand Mumbai batsman, who has scored heavily in the domestic circuit as well as the Indian Premier League (IPL), inexplicably averaged 7.83 at home with his highest score being 15 in Mohali, before the start of the Delhi Test.
Rahane came into bat with India precariously placed at 66 for 3 in the first innings on Day One of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Feroz Shah Kotla. (Scorecard | Blog)
With the odds stacked against him, Rahane finally broke his embarrassing jinx, going on to score 89 not out in the first innings, in the process reaching his maiden fifty at home. He enjoyed a slice of luck on 78 when Hashim Amla spilled a sitter at slips off Dane Piedt.
Rahane's unbeaten 89 at stumps also turned out to be the highest individual score by any batsman in the ongoing series with the previous best being 85 by AB de Villiers in the rain-hit second Test at Bengaluru.
Former skipper Anil Kumble praised Rahane effort on TV, saying: "Today, he was not in a hurry to score. He played straight and did not look to hit across till he had settled down well. He batted the way we know him to do."
Rahane's knock was all the more important as India's innings caved in with the quick dismissals of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha in the post-lunch session.
Rahane started cautiously and played second fiddle at the start of his innings in the 70-run stand with skipper Kohli. He changed gears as wickets fell around him and in his crucial 59-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja, Rahane took the attack to the bowlers.
Rahane scored at a decent rate throughout the match and his innings included nine fours and two sixes. It was a classic case of punishing the bad balls and he was especially severe on South Africa's hero of the day Piedt, scoring more than 50 runs off the rookie off-spinner.
Rahane shouldered the innings brilliantly with the tailenders and his exploits in the final session enabled India to score 92 runs in the post-tea session with the loss of just one wicket.
India ended the day on 231 for seven with Ravichandran Ashwin (6 not out) partnering Rahane at the crease.