From Dombivli to Durban: The rise of Ajinkya Rahane
Bharat Sundaresan and Devendra Pandey of the Indian Express catch up with Ajinkya Rahane's family, friends, and former team-mates and coaches to trace the journey of a soft, aloof kid, who went from practicing batting with strapping waiters, to hitting Da
12-Oct-2014
Bharat Sundaresan and Devendra Pandey of the Indian Express catch up with Ajinkya Rahane's family, friends, and former team-mates and coaches to trace the journey of a soft, aloof kid, who went from practising batting with strapping waiters, to hitting Dale Steyn for boundaries in Durban in the space of 15 years. Despite working his way to the top to become a versatile batsman across formats, Rahane remains grounded to his humble roots.
That the boy with the curious eyes had it in him to make it big was a conclusion many had made ever since he picked up a bat and joined a local coaching camp at Dombivili's Railway ground. Madhukar was then posted at Dombivili, 50 km away from Mumbai, and the family stayed at Triguna Apartments at Sangitavadi, a rickety establishment with tiny houses, located in the middle of a congested street that had no bus access to the railway station back then. Rahane, who has a black belt in karate, wouldn't take too long to set upon the path destiny had chosen for him. The exposure to karate gave him an early lesson in fitness and a competitive edge.