‘Struggling’ Rahane passes short-ball test

Ajinkya Rahane loves to hook. He hooked Mitchell Johnson to oblivion in Melbourne in 2014. In India, though, it is different. The bounce is not always true, the ball stops at times, and Rahane is one of the Indian batsmen who likes pace and bounce more than the lack of it.

So against Matt Henry it became a bit of an ordeal to tackle the short ball. It hit him on the arm guard, it hit him on the helmet, it avoided his ramp, it took top edges on the hook, and Rahane never looked at ease facing it. Yet he scored 188 runs after coming in at 100 for 3, adding India’s highest fourth-wicket partnership with Virat Kohli. Rahane rated this innings among the best he has played because he enjoyed the struggle.

“This hundred is really special because the way I batted yesterday, I took my time, and today I dominated,” Rahane said. “Yesterday was a different day, today was a different day. I’m glad to have handled that spell yesterday when they were bowling short balls. Even this morning. I think that attitude was important. I will rate this hundred right at the top.

“When you struggle it is important how much you enjoy that struggle,” Rahane said. “You won’t always have it your way. What is important is to stay at the wicket, stay not out, even if it means you are hit on the helmet, beaten or if you don’t look good. As a batsman it is …

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