Another warrior of the Indian batting fortress bids adieu

The last cog in an erstwhile Indian Test batting juggernaut has bid farewell. Ajinkya Rahane’s retirement, along with the earlier departures of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, besides Murali Vijay’s slow fadeout, marks the passing of a collective baton.

The Mumbaikar, now charting a fresh path as a commentator, belonged to a school of batsmanship lit up by Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar and Rohit. Equally, it was an alumni that featured the gifted Vinod Kambli and technically compact Sanjay Manjrekar, though the two could not fulfil their immense potential after promising much. There was also the doughty Ravi Shastri, who maximised his skill-sets.

Among these varied paths of his fellow city-dwellers, Rahane’s progress remained distinct. There was an ease to his shots, a solidity to his tenure at the crease, and yet 5077 runs from 85 Tests, averaging 38.46, while highlighting longevity, also points to a talent that never reached its zenith. Among his 12 Test tons, eight were etched overseas, revealing a batter, at ease in alien conditions.

Soft-spoken and with a quiet demeanour, much like Pujara, Rahane seemed a throwback to a gentler past. But throw him into a fiery battle, and he would reveal his mettle. The eyes would narrow, the half smile would vanish, and then he quelled the red cherry hurled at him. In that zen moment, he extended the Bombay legacy of fortress-like batsmanship.

He did have the shots and his resurgence in the Indian Premier League is a pointer to his versatility. But it was in Test whites, that Rahane left a deeper imprint. The triumph in the Border Gavaskar Trophy Series in Australia during the 2020-21 series, with Rahane the skipper adroitly marshalling his meagre resources after many key players left due to injury or personal reasons, would remain the biggest talking point in his career.

Turning around a team that was shot out for 36 at Adelaide, Rahane led from the front. His 112 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground marked a revival; it was a rejuvenation that had its crowning glory at the Gabba with Rishabh Pant ushering a miracle.

The perfect ending, like Stuart Broad’s six and a wicket as his last endeavours with the bat and ball, is a rare spectacle in cricket. Rahane, true to his manner, has left in his inimitable quiet way, with grace intact, and memories galore.