Ajinkya Rahane brought the old world charm of constructing an innings with a knock that should do a world of good to his cricket. It was a well-groomed demonstration of shot selection and excelling under pressure.
In the preceding Tests against South Africa he had not batted to the demands of the pitch. The ball was stopping but not his tendency to play strokes. His mentor, Pravin Amre, stepped in and altered his approach to batting.
A compulsive stroke-player, Rahane had to curtail his natural flair and adapt. He was getting out to ambitious shots. Like the cover drive at Nagpur. It was a perfect-pitch shot and not the kind to be attempted on the poor track that the match offered.
“He was succumbing to pressure,” said Amre. “He had missed the T20 matches and that was disturbing him. And then some people said he did not belong to one-day cricket.
“When he got to the Test matches, there was an anxiety to perform and prove. But he needed discipline and that is what I told him.”
Rahane got the message right. His shot selection was spot on, back lift low and he was calmer in this innings. The progress from 90 to 100 was the highlight of the show. “He was at his best once he got into the 90s. There was no nervousness. He was at his best really,” said Amre.
It was like a debut innings. And Rahane remembered his mentor’s words. “Have to play 200 balls. No excuses. Not to throw the wicket away. Stop assuming. Use the crease well and bend to meet the ball.”
“His positioning was superb. He really was determined,” noted Amre.
Exemplary footwork

His footwork was exemplary, particularly against the spinners. As Amre pointed out, “He was hitting sixes by stepping out. He was not doing this earlier. He was mainly batting from stance position. I liked it when he came out to meet the ball.” This was Amre style too.
The poor Test debut against Australia here (7 and 1) in 2013 had haunted Rahane. It was at the back of his mind too when he took guard.
He made an impression with his remarkable ability to build the innings. “He would play a shot and next ball defend. He controlled his gear and enjoyed his defence.”
Can a batsman enjoy his defence? “Of course! It allows you to analyse your stay in the middle,” insisted Amre. “He backed the lower half and gained with every ball he faced because he also believed in himself.” Good for Indian cricket. Here is a batsman who captures a nice mix of traditional and modern cricket.