Only thirteen Indian cricketers have crossed the 5000-run milestone in Test cricket, and Ajinkya Rahane is one of them. Making his debut in 2013, he has built a solid reputation for excelling in challenging overseas conditions, particularly in matches played in Australia, England, and South Africa, often outshining his performances at home.

Rahane served as Virat Kohli's vice-captain and played a pivotal role in India's memorable victory during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2020-21. However, inconsistency soon became a concern. From 2017 to 2023, he managed to average over 40 in a calendar year only once, in 2019, which led to multiple exclusions from the team, the most recent being after the West Indies tour in 2023.

As he approaches his 35th birthday, Rahane will be just shy of 37 when India faces England in a Test series starting June 20. While age may not be on his side, he remains determined. Currently, he captains the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025 and aspires to secure a spot in the Test squad for the England tour.

During a recent interaction at Star Sports’ Press Room, Rahane expressed:

“I would love to be back in the Indian set-up again. The desire, the hunger, the fire is still there. Fitness-wise, I am right up there. I just want to take one game at a time, thinking about this IPL right now, and then, let’s see what happens in the future.”

In the latter half of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, he scored 263 runs at an impressive average of 52.60. Last year, he also participated in County cricket with Leicestershire. His form has continued in IPL 2025, where he has emerged as one of the standout batters in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

The KKR captain further stated:

“I am a guy who will never give up. I always try and give my best on the field, to give more than 100 per cent. It’s always about that, focusing on controllable things. I have been playing domestic cricket as well, and I am really enjoying my cricket at this moment.” 

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Rahane has maintained his fitness and continues to aspire to don the Indian cap once more. This phase of his career could be seen as a resurgence, as selectors may consider him despite his recent struggles. While his Test match statistics in England may not be exceptional, his experience surpasses that of Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, and Shreyas Iyer combined.

Rahane shared his aspirations:

“I want to represent my country. I want to wear those Indian colours again. During the off-season, I train for two to three sessions a day. I feel at this moment, for me, keeping myself really fit is really important; recovery is really important.”