Just a few days back the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) announced a 15-member squad for the World Test Championship 2021-23 final. However, one name in that squad shocked everyone. Ajinkya Rahane, who was out of the Indian team for almost 17 months, got listed in that list. Ajinkya Rahane returned to the Test squad after a series of fine performances in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.
However, a current report states that it was MS Dhoni who helped Ajinkya Rahane get that call.
“Ajinkya was always part of the plan when Shreyas got injured. He has the experience of playing in England and has been successful too. But of course, he was not in the setup for a year or so. We had only seen how he performed in the Ranji trophy. That is why Rahul turned to MS for his inputs,” a senior BCCI official explained.
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MS Dhoni responded in the affirmative. CSK captain gave some inputs on his batting after Rahane joined CSK camp. It worked wonders. A carefree approach and the freedom to play the way he wants, helped him succeed. With inputs from Dhoni, Dravid was happy to see him back in the squad.
“We realize the potential of someone when we allow him to bat the way he bats. We give him freedom, give him the best position. In a team environment, someone has to sacrifice his slot to allow the others to get more comfortable, and allow the team to succeed,” MS Dhoni said of Rahane.