IND vs ENG: I didn't want to let bowlers settle down at start, says Rahane

India's Ajinkya Rahane said that he was looking to play with intent and not allow the England bowlers to settle in the early part of the innings on the first day of the second Test

Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane. Photo: Sportzpics for BCCI
IANS Chennai
2 min read Last Updated : Feb 15 2021 | 8:40 AM IST

India's Ajinkya Rahane said that he was looking to play with intent and not allow the England bowlers to settle in the early part of the innings on the first day of the second Test here on Saturday.

Check IND vs ENG 2nd Test Day 3 live score and match updates

"In the beginning I was thinking that I should not let the bowler settle. I came to bat where there was just about 15 or 20 minutes left before lunch but at the time I felt that if I bat with some intent, taking risks, it would become a little bit easier for us," said Rahane in a chat with centurion Rohit Sharma in a video posted on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) website.

India were 86/3 when Rahane walked into the middle and his 162-run partnership with Sharma (161) gave the hosts the advantage on the first day despite England dismissing Kohli and opener Shubman Gill on ducks and Cheteshwar Pujara for 21.Rahane got off the mark with a four off the very first ball he faced. He scored 67 off 149 balls before falling to Moeen Ali.

Rohit asked Rahane what his plan was to counter the reverse swing that England fast bowlers Ollie Stone and Stuart Broad were generating in the early parts of the second session.

"I was standing outside the crease at the time to push the fast bowlers' lengths back. The reverse swing also won't come into play much when they bowl further back so that was the game plan," said Rahane.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :India vs EnglandAjinkya RahaneIndia cricket teamICC World Test Championship

First Published: Feb 14 2021 | 8:24 AM IST

Next Story