'Still want to play Test cricket' - Rahane unfazed by silence from selectors
"I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but things [like that are] as a player I cannot control," he said in an interview with Sky Sports
ESPNcricinfo staff
13-Jul-2025 • 11 hrs ago
Ajinkya Rahane: 'I love playing Test cricket, love playing red-ball, it's a passion' • PTI
Ajinkya Rahane, 37, hasn't played a Test in two years now, but has reiterated his "hunger and passion" for the game and red-ball cricket, even though he has "got no response" from the selectors.
"I still want to play Test cricket," Rahane, currently in London, told Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton in an interview with Sky Sports. "I'm really passionate about playing Test cricket. I'm enjoying my cricket at the moment.
"I'm here just for a few days. I carried my trainers and my training clothes so that I can keep myself fit. Our domestic season is starting, so preparations have just begun."
When asked about the challenges of making a comeback, particularly with the team management placing greater emphasis on younger players following the Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Rahane said his focus remains on "controllable things."
New captain Shubman Gill has taken over Kohli's No. 4 spot, with vice-captain Rishabh Pant slotting in at No. 5. Of the old guard, KL Rahul appears to be the only one still firmly in the selectors' plans. Despite the stiff competition, Rahane remains unfazed, reaffirming his dedication to domestic cricket as he works toward a comeback.
Since losing his Test spot, Rahane has led Mumbai in two straight Ranji Trophy seasons, winning their 42nd title in 2023-24, while they finished runners-up in 2024-25. He was also part of Mumbai's title-winning Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) squad.
Rahane hit 467 runs in 14 innings at an average of 35.92 in the 2024-25 Ranji season, with one fifty and a hundred. He was the highest run-getter for Kolkata Knight Riders during a disappointing IPL 2025, where they finished eighth out of ten teams. Rahane hit 390 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 147.27.
"For me, it's all about focusing on the controllable things," Rahane said. "Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but things [like that are] as a player I cannot control. I got no response. As a player all I can do is keep playing cricket, keep enjoying the game, give my best each and every time. I love playing Test cricket, love playing red-ball, it's a passion. The love for the game keeps me going."