The veteran Indian Test cricketer, Ajinkya Rahane went on to score a century on his comeback in the Ranji Trophy cricket as he led Mumbai’s fightback against Saurashtra on Day 1 of their Group D opener at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday, February 17. Rahane took his time and got to his 36th first-class century in 212 balls for Mumbai. He got to the 3-figure score with a single, his batting partner Sarfaraz Khan also punched his air in delight.

It was tough conditions on a hot day but Ajinkya Rahane used all his experience to counter the Saurashtra bowling threat. Rahane hit 14 boundaries and a couple of sixes as he was involved in a 150-plus partnership with Sarfaraz, who also got to a hundred in 191 balls, hitting 2 sixes and 11 boundaries.

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It was an important knock for Mumbai as they were reeling at 44/3 after losing captain Prithvi Shaw (1), Akash Gomel (8), and Sachin Yadav (19) inside the first 13 overs. However, Ajinkya Rahane was under considerable pressure as his place in the Indian Test squad is under threat after a plethora of string of poor scores. The senior batter had scored just 136 runs in 6 innings in India’s 2-1 defeat in a Test series in South Africa earlier this year.

In recent times, Ajinkya Rahane has witnessed a significant dip in his batting form. He has managed just 68 runs in 2022 while his 479 runs in 2021 came at an average of 20.82. Recently, he was even sacked as the vice-captain of the Indian Test team ahead of the tour of South Africa.

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India will host the islanders in the first Test in Lucknow from March 4 while the 2nd Test, a day-night game, will be played in Bengaluru from March 12. Notably, Cheteshwar Pujara is part of the Saurashtra playing XI as well and the senior batter also needs runs in this Ranji Trophy campaign to save his floundering Test career.

During a recent chat with PTI, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had stressed the importance of big runs from both Rahane and Pujara in the Ranji Trophy, which got underway on Thursday after a 2-year absence.

Here is how the fans reacted to the century by Ajinkya Rahane:

Bola tha
Rahane , Pujara aren't going anywhere

Naa hi They will retire , Naa hi They are getting dropped

Both will play 100 / 100+ tests #RanjiTrophy https://t.co/6HalyfLmh6

— S (@SiddViz) February 17, 2022

Century for #Rahane against Saurashtra, what a statement to make on the very first day of #RanjiTrophy. @ajinkyarahane88 all class!! #CricketTwitter @MumbaiCricAssoc

— Sakthi_Jinx (@SakthiJinx) February 17, 2022

Ajinkya Rahane Redemption starts today. #RanjiTrophy2022 pic.twitter.com/szL5ehK43U

— 🍺 (@anubhav__tweets) February 17, 2022

Ajinkya Rahane scores a fantastic hundred in 211 balls. A top class innings by Rahane, he's proving his capabilities in the Ranji Trophy. 14 fours and 2 sixes in the knock for him. #indiavssouthafrica #test #slogover #kohli #indvssa #ipl #kohli #test #viratkohli #ipl

— Slogover (@slogoverindia) February 17, 2022

Would you pick Ajinkya Rahane in the Test squad for the home series vs SL?#NDvSL

— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) February 17, 2022

Fantastic Hundred from Rahane in the Ranji Trophy 🔥🔥👏

But really hope that the selectors just bring him up back now, yes he's played well, but right now, others too are🙂

— Arnav (@cricketArnav) February 17, 2022

https://twitter.com/rohitmessifan/status/1494257786267389952?s=20&t=I0sluNXdDAB9FE65z2gGJA

Rahane has a 100 on his return to domestic cricket and the first after scoring at Melbourne in 2020! https://t.co/HpODggH4QT

— Ved Sa (@thatcrickettguy) February 17, 2022

Ajinkya Rahane wagon wheel. Scored all around the ground. #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/Ji7MAmLQb8

— Rajesh Pansare (@rajeshpansare) February 17, 2022