Internet Desk: Ajinkya Rahane will feel a lot more confident when he faces the Australian bowlers in the first ODI at the Chepauk on Sunday. The Mumbai batsman had a one on one session with none other than master blaster Sachin Tendulkar before reaching Chennai. Rahane, who will be opening the batting with Rohit Sharma in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan got some valuable tips from Sachin. Dhawan has withdrawn his service for the first three ODI’s in order to be by the side of his ailing wife.
Rahane was full of praise for Sachin who came out to the stadium and provided some useful tips to the stylish batsman. The Mumbai batsman later tweeted “Had a great net session. Thank you so much for your time and inspiring words paaji @sachin_rt”
Had a great net session. Thank you so much for your time and inspiring words paaji @sachin_rt pic.twitter.com/3UP4Pv7tWr
— ajinkyarahane88 (@ajinkyarahane88) September 12, 2017
In return, Sachin too lauded Rahane and also wished him well for the upcoming series against World Champions Australia. Sachin’s Twitter post read: “It’s always a pleasure to see you perform well for the country. My best wishes for the upcoming series!”
It’s always a pleasure to see you perform well for the country. My best wishes for the upcoming series! https://t.co/x5fFhzgwAC
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 14, 2017
Rahane was forced to open the batting for India in the last ODI against Sri Lanka as Dhawan had to fly back to India to be by the side of his ailing mother. He also opened the batting during the ODI series against West Indies in the Caribbean. Rohit was not part of the ODI team then as he was having a rehab. Rahane did not disappoint the team management as he ended up winning the man of the series award as he was the leading run-getter with 336 runs (which included 1 century and 3 fifties).
“Shikhar Dhawan came and got the golden bat in the Champions Trophy and then he won us two Test matches with the bat (in Sri Lanka). He (Dhawan) is an impact player and we all know that. So, Rahane understands that at this moment, he is the third opener and we will certainly back him there because we have shifted him around a bit in the middle order as well and it is not right. But he has grabbed his opportunities well as he was the man of the series in West Indies, so he continues to be in the set-up,” Kohli said during the pre-match press conference of first ODI against Sri Lanka.