Rahane urges India batters to be proactive against Sri Lanka spinners ahead of Test series

Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane has urged Indian batters to adopt a proactive approach against Sri Lanka's spinners in the upcoming Test series. He also said adaptability is essential in modern cricket and expressed interest in mentoring or coaching in future

Bengaluru: Former skipper Ajinkya Rahane advised the Indian batters to be “proactive” against Sri Lankan spinners in the upcoming two-match Test series, beginning at Galle from August 15.

Rahane had played a stellar role in India’s 3-0 series sweep during the 2017 tour to the Island nation, scoring over 200 runs with a hundred and a fifty.

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“I think in Sri Lanka, the first day wicket generally is very good. But being top of the bowler as a batsman is very important. That’s what I have learned in Sri Lanka. You cannot be too defensive,” Rahane, who recently announced his retirement, told PTI in an interview facilitated by ETPL.

Rahane said the presence of quality spinners in the Sri Lanka line-up makes it imperative for Indian batters to be in their dominant self.

“You have to probably be more proactive because they will have spin friendly wickets, and Sri Lanka do have decent spinners in their side. And again, a home team is always a tough team to beat. Whatever I’ve learned playing cricket for so many years, you can’t take anyone for lightly.

“So it’s all about, I think, having your own game plan as an individual and being proactive. Even in Test cricket, it’s going to be the key,” he added.

Rahane, once an all format player for India, said the batting dynamics of Test cricket have changed completely in recent years, especially with the T20 format gaining more popularity.

“The game has evolved massively. Talking about Test cricket, you see now a lot many T20 players do play in Test cricket as well. The scoop, the laps, switch hit, reverse sweep are being played and that too consistently. I think it is a very good thing,” he said.

For Rahane, adaptation holds key in modern day cricket.

“The players need to adapt to different formats very quickly because that’s the mindset you want now.

As soon as the Test gets over, probably within a week, you’re playing T20, you’re playing ODIs or after T20, you are straight away going into Test cricket.

“So having that mindset, the adaptability is really, really important. So in the last two, three years, the game has gone up immensely,” he noted.

Similarly, Rahane also noted an improvisational streak in bowlers to keep up with the competition.

“We have seen several variations in bowling, as we have seen seam-up and wobble seam probably. Bowlers are now probably looking to bowl yorkers in Test cricket as well. Previously, we have not seen fast bowlers bowling yorkers that regularly in Test cricket, except a few bowlers.

“But now, that’s the demand and probably the variation everyone wants. And still as a cricketer, you have to keep on evolving skill-wise every single time,” he added.

Rahane open to playing, mentoring

He might have retired from top-flight cricket, but it has not doused his desire to contribute to the game that gave him so much.

“I still have a few years. I still want to play cricket. I don’t want to put any number, but I can still play cricket for, you know, how much a year I want because I try to keep myself really fit and that’s what I have learned over the years. It helps you a lot,” he said.

“And that’s why I’m playing this league (ETPL). But again, mentoring any IPL team, I feel I’ll be really good at it because the experience I have, I understand players’ mentality really well.”

The 38-year-old was not averse to the idea of mentoring a team as well.

“I understand individual players really well. What happens in their mind on and off the field? What do they think? How do they react to certain situations and conditions? Because personally, I have seen all those moments. I have seen all those situations.

“So I feel I’ll be really good as a mentor, probably as a coach as well, because you need to coach and a mentor, you need to manage people really well. And I’m really good at it.”

Rahane said being a mentor or coach also gives him an opportunity to learn a lot of things.

“I’m still passionate about the game. I still want to contribute. I still want to probably give more to the game because whatever game has given me, I don’t want to keep it in a smaller way.

“Probably if I can share my experience and the knowledge globally, widely, it will be really beneficial.

“Be it for the senior Mumbai team or for the Indian team, I’ve played with a lot of youngsters, sharing my experience with them. It’s been amazing. And while sharing your experience, you also learn a lot,” he signed off.