Ajinkya Rahane is eager to make number four position his own in India’s ODI team after batting at the same position against South Africa in the series opener. He scored a sparkling 79 in 86 balls and shared a match-winning 189-run stand with Virat Kohli.
![Kohli](https://cricshots.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/RahaneKohlilDUrban.jpg)
Indian team management including Kohli backed him as the backup opener and tried everyone at number four. However, when given opportunity, Rahane scored yet another half-century at this position, which is his fourth successive at this position and fifth straight in five ODI innings.
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“I am better equipped, I am more mature now, I know how to build my innings at No. 4,” Rahane said on Saturday. “Yes I enjoy batting at top two positions but when you represent your country and you get a chance to bat at whatever number you just want to give your best for the team.”
He further added “When I went into bat [in Durban], my first thought was to build a partnership and rotating the strike. We knew they have a very good bowling attack. Especially [Kagiso] Rabada is their main bowler and Imran Tahir in the middle is a wicket-taker. We targetted a few bowlers, we’ll go after them. But mindset was to rotate the strike and keep the run-rate level. Last 10 overs we didn’t want to chase too many runs.”
Test side’s Vice-captain Rahane was omitted from first two Test against South Africa, but made a comeback in the last Test and scored a crucial 48 in the second innings of a mischievous Johannesburg pitch. He feels those runs were the confidence booster for him and helped him to overcome from the down.
“Batting at No. 4 is different. The confidence which came from last Test win at Johannesburg, I got 48 so confidence came from there. But I was actually determined to do well at No. 4 because I batted at that number in 2015 World Cup and few other series as well,” said the 29-year-old.
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“Here the situation was completely different. We were chasing 270 and we knew that it was a par score on that wicket. Our bowlers did a really good job. Personally batting at No. 4, I really enjoyed and I am looking forward to doing even better.”
The second game will be played on Sunday in Centurion, where hosts will be fielding with a new captain in Aiden Markram.