Veteran Indian player Ajinkya Rahane has shared his desire to return to the Indian team to complete 100 Tests. However, his current focus is on securing the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai. After over a year’s absence, he returned to the side during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June 2023. While he put in a promising performance in the final, he failed to do well in the subsequent West Indies tour and was dropped again as well.

Speaking to reporters after Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy match against Andhra Pradesh, Rahane said as quoted by Cricbuzz: “My goal is to secure both the Ranji Trophy and the bigger objective of playing in 100 Test matches. I’m focused on performing well for Mumbai and taking each game one step at a time.”

The veteran cricketer got out for a golden duck in the only innings he got to bat although his team secured a comfortable 10-wicket win. He has managed 5077 runs in 85 Tests but last scored a hundred in December 2020 as well. However, Rahane also explained his decision to ask Andhra Pradesh to bat again after bowling them out for 184 in response to their 395 as well, stating that the bowlers only needed a little more intensity in the game.

“The decision was instinctive as such opportunities are very rare. If you read the situation and sniff the opportunity for seven points…it will be helpful for you in future as you don’t know how the wicket will be, the conditions will be, teams form in the upcoming matches…you never know what will happen. So yesterday, I felt like if the bowlers will push themselves a bit and if we take two-three early wickets then it will become easier for us. It’s been a very good start for us this season. The challenge is to be consistent because when you want to win the Ranji Trophy, it is all about being consistent throughout the period of time,” Ajinkya Rahane concluded.