Veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane stood up for his team when it mattered the most. He played a brilliant knock of 89 runs and formed a crucial partnership with Ravindra Jadeja to bring the much-needed momentum back to the game. During his knock, Rahane was hit on the index finger of his right hand by a Pat Cummins delivery on the second day of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023 final at The Oval.
Despite the injury, Rahane went on to play a counter-attacking knock for his side and scored a majestic 26th Test half-century. With his knock, Rahane proved why he deserved to be on the team for the ultimate Test. He was the top scorer for the Indian side in the first innings.
Rahane, who batted with a tapped finger, didn’t let his fans know about the pain he was going through. He made a comeback into the national side after almost 17 months and gave it all for his team.
Ajinkya Rahane Provided A Big Update About His Injury
Later, after the game, Ajinkya Rahane admitted that his finger injury was painful. Speaking to host broadcaster Star Sports Network after Stumps, Day 3, the veteran batter was asked about the status of his injury. A determined Rahane said that the injury wouldn’t affect his batting in the second innings. He said:
“It’s painful but quite manageable. [Can injury will affect batting in the second innings?] I don’t think so.”
He added: “I’m happy with the way I batted. Had a good day today. We were looking to get 320-330, but overall we had a good day. Bowling-wise, we bowled well. Everyone chipped in. Australia is slightly ahead in the game. For us, it’s important to be in the moment and play session by session. “
Ajinkya Rahane top-scored for team India in the 2021 WTC Final as well. He became the 13th Indian batter to complete 5000 or more runs in Test cricket on Friday.