Ajinkya Rahane: Batting out of comfort zone gives me a high

The last time Ajinkya Rahane played a Test on Indian soil, he was only a debutant and it didn't go according to plan. That was more than two years ago. Today, as the new home season begins, Rahane returns as one of the most dependable players in the Indian line-up. With Test hundreds in New Zealand, England, Australia and Sri Lanka, as well as nineties in South Africa and Bangladesh, he is the only batsman to have consistently scored runs on every single overseas tour undertaken by this young side. Here, Rahane talks about this journey and how it has shaped him as a batsman who is eagerly looking ahead to the future.

Q: Ajinkya, it has been a long overseas journey for team India in the last eighteen months or so. How would you sum up this time for yourself in terms of learning and growth as a cricketer?

Rahane: It has been a great journey so far. I have learnt a lot. I am a different cricketer from the one I was in 2011 when I made my ODI debut. And not just cricket, my overall life has changed. From a cricketing point of view, there is a lot more awareness about things. I have improved my personal processes and preparation for every series. I have taken it step-by-step and concentrated more on this preparation than the results. To be able to do that, differentiate the preparation bit from the results, that has been a standout achievement for me personally.

Q: Would you share about the different preparations then? How was it different for South Africa and New Zealand to England to Australia, for example?

Rahane: When I first played international cricket in 2011, I didn't differentiate in my preparation for different conditions. But after a poor debut match in 2013, even on home soil when the pitch was turning badly, I thought I needed to change that. The South Africa tour was coming up next and I knew the wickets and conditions would be different. I wanted to prepare accordingly, as per the change in bounce and movement of the ball.

So I tried to bat in the nets against high pace and used wet balls as well. The reaction time needed to be less and I worked on that. Then, in New Zealand and England, the pace is less but the ball moves more. So I tried using a plastic ball to replicate the swinging conditions. I also used tennis ball but taped it on one side so that there would be movement depending on heavy and light side.

Q: Anyone in particular you spoke to about making these changes? And is it about the technical side alone? A lot of cricketers talk about the mental side too.

Rahane: I learnt this from Rahul Dravid. I saw him do all this, how he prepared in a different manner for different conditions and bowlers. He used to get into this particular groove, depending upon conditions, long before a tour started. And yes, you are right, it is not about technical changes alone, there is a lot of mental adjustment needed as well. I talked a lot to Dravid about how to go about adjusting my mind to all these changes I am making in my batting. I still talk to him about this. Apart from his, I spoke with Pravin Amre, who is my batting coach, and he helped me with this. And then of course, there is Sachin Tendulkar, who along with Dravid, is my role model. I have tried to pick up the nuances of preparation from these two great cricketers. I have learnt that if your preparation is good, then the series will be a good one.

Q: Okay, let us get into specifics then. The South Africa tour paid off in terms of those preparations. But starting off that tour, how were the nerves considering a forgettable debut match?

Rahane: I was very disappointed with my debut Test. I had been sitting on the bench for a while before I played that Delhi match. And anxiety levels are different when that happens. Maybe I was too eager, I don't know. In that sense, playing in South Africa afterwards, I wasn't very nervous, maybe just a little bit. I had made my debut already so the pressure was off in a way. And I knew I had prepared well for that tour, so skill wise I was feeling good.

The biggest change in my thinking was that I didn't want to think about the results or the outcome of the series. My plan was to stay in the moment and take it as it comes. I wanted to play one ball at a time and not bother about scoring ahead. So I didn't put pressure of targets on myself, I didn't think about scoring a fifty or hundred. But I had one aim, to play one knock on that tour that would really benefit the team.

Q: And you did that in Durban, even though you missed that maiden hundred. Later, you got that hundred in Wellington. So tell us about your thinking during those two knocks and what changed in that time?

Rahane: I realised the value of four runs in Durban. I also realised that a Test hundred is a Test hundred, and not nineties. When I was batting in the nineties, I was thinking about getting a hundred. It wasn't what I had thought would happen when I prepared for the series but it did happen and I fell four runs short. I was disappointed but I spoke with my friends and my coach, my seniors and well-wishers, and I learnt to get over it.

Then, in Wellington, the same situation came up again. I was in the nineties again. And this time I had Zaheer Khan at the other end. So he came up to me and said that I shouldn't think about the milestone. He told me that I have batted well so far and I need to keep doing what I was doing, that is playing the ball on merit and not think too much else. His words helped me relax a bit more and the thought of the hundred was not in my mind after that. I didn't get bogged down or let pressure build up, and I went on to play like I was playing, and I batted for some time even after crossing the century mark.

Q: You have got a few hundreds to your name now. Is the debut hundred the most special one, or is that tag reserved for the Lord's hundred?

Rahane: I think every hundred is special. But yes the Lord's hundred stands out for me. It was a really special knock and we won there after a long time. It really helped increase my self-confidence and self-belief, especially about scoring runs in England. But I would say every Test run is special and even little knocks matter. From that aspect, the 38 not out I got in the second innings at Sydney, I think that was a good knock for me as well because we really wanted to save that match.

Q: We will come to Australia later. But first let us talk about that England tour. It is considered a tough one, especially since none of this Indian team had played a five-match series before. How was that experience?

Rahane: Yes, it is true that none of us had played a five-Test series before that tour. So it was obviously a big experience, especially because they were back-to-back Tests. It is a different challenge because things happen very quickly and you learn a lot about the team, yourself and the whole group. As a young team, we were definitely able to gain a lot out of that experience, even though we lost the series. But we were very happy with the Lord's win. That will always be very special for this team, and for me individually as well. Because my runs and other achievements are all secondary as the team victory is more special.

Q: You got a hundred and a victory at Lord's, both. So talk us through that special knock.

Rahane: Honestly, about 25-30 people told me before the match that a Lord's hundred is very special and mentioned the honours board to me so many times. I think subconsciously it got fixated somewhere in my head and I really wanted a hundred there. But when the match came about, I looked at the wicket and it was so green, I knew it was going to be a tough battle for us.

I think not enough credit is given to the way the Indian top-order batted that day. It was a fresh, green wicket and they all got starts but sadly couldn't go on. I learnt a lot watching them bat. I knew it was all about getting a start and if I did, I had to make sure that I didn't lose my wicket. That was hurting us when I went in to bat. I took my time getting adjusted to the wicket and just played one ball at a time. Somehow I was there till tea time and we were at 140/7.

Then, after tea, I had a thought that so far we have been under pressure, but what will happen if the English bowlers come under pressure? Bhuvneshwar Kumar was my partner at the other end and he was batting well. I discussed with him and decided that I will attack the English bowlers and see how they will respond to this. There was always risk in it, but something from inside me said that I should do it, and then I did it. We got 160 runs in that last session on day one and we scored 300-plus in that first innings. I knew that was going to be a match-winning total.

Q: This aggression has become a signature of your batting. Even in Australia you were looking to attack the bowling, almost from the word go. That counter-attacking Melbourne knock comes to mind.

Rahane: It wasn't just my personal thinking on the Australian tour. If you see the whole team wanted to play attacking cricket on that trip. When we were preparing for that tour, we noticed that Indian teams that played aggressively in Australia in the past, they dominated that series. Hence positive cricket was our aim for that tour as a team, not just me individually.

In a way, yes the Melbourne knock was where everything came together for me. I was sitting in the dressing room balcony, all padded up and watching Australia bowl. I was thinking how to dominate this bowling attack, how to bat for the first 15-20 minutes and then how to go from there. Before going out to bat, that visualisation really helped me. When I went in and saw through the first 20-30 minutes, I felt that I should again play counter-attacking cricket. I spoke with Virat Kohli who was at the other end, and he said, yes go for it. We backed ourselves and gave every shot our hundred percent. There were no half-hearted efforts and we went after their bowling. I really enjoyed batting with Virat and our communication was the key in that partnership.

Q: Is this visualisation aspect something you have added recently?

Rahane: No, I have been visualising for a long time. From the initial days, under-19 and Ranji days, I have done so. I have slowly built it up. It is just more enhanced now and helps me judge and pace my innings better.

Q: Okay, moving on from the Test arena for a bit, for some reason you haven't found the same success in ODI cricket. Is it because you don't really have a fixed position in that batting order?

Rahane: Maybe, I don't know. I try to do what the team wants me to do. My strength is to excel in whatever the situation may be and batting in different positions is all about mental adjustment. When I started batting at number five, I was focused on how to adjust my game according to that. And I am always looking to improve my game.

I think my time in ODIs is yet to come, or even in T20Is for that matter. It is just a matter of time before things fall into place and I am very confident about it. Because I know my processes are right and my preparation is right. If it is working in Test cricket, it will surely work in the limited-overs formats too.

Q: You talk about exceling in different situations. Is that why you agreed to bat at number three in the Test series in Sri Lanka? And now that you have found success there, would you like to keep batting at number three in Tests against South Africa?

Rahane: I don't think I can comment on the batting order going ahead. It is for the team management to decide what is in the best interests of the team. Yes, in Sri Lanka it worked very well. I was able to score runs at number three and was able to repay the trust the team management showed in me.

This is my thing. I want to do well in any situation, and want to help the team's cause. Going out of my comfort zone and scoring runs gives me a high. And not just batting, I want to give a hundred percent in whatever I do, even in fielding. It is only about contributing to the team's victory.

Q: Victory in Sri Lanka was an end to a learning curve overseas. Now we have a new home season beginning. How are you looking forward to the South Africa series?

Rahane: I think it was an amazing victory in Sri Lanka, coming back from one-down in that series. It gives us great winning confidence. And I enjoyed playing that brand of aggressive cricket. Not just me, you know, the whole team. More than that, we enjoyed each other's company. We helped each other through good and bad times. We enjoyed each other's success. It was a collective series victory for us and gives us great confidence going ahead, especially since it came at the end of a long overseas schedule.

Now against South Africa, I think we will look to play the same brand of cricket. We want to play aggressive cricket, and good cricket this coming season.