Australian all-rounder Cameron Green pulled off a stunning as Team India batter Ajinkya Rahane’s gutsy knock came to an end on day three of the World Test Championship final at The Kennington Oval in London. His outstanding fielding effort gave Australia a much-needed breakthrough in the innings.
Batting first, Australia put on a mammoth 469 runs on the board. In response, India was in a spot of bother having lost four wickets for 71 runs. Ajinkya Rahane got the team out of trouble, stitching a 71 runs stand with Ravindra Jadeja, and a huge partnership with Shardul Thakur. Rahane and Thakur put together 109 runs stand for the seventh-wicket partnership.
In the sixty-second over, Pat Cummins bowled a length delivery outside off stump. Ajinkya Rahane punched the delivery away from his body. As the ball travelled towards the boundary, Cameron Green, who was at the gully, dived to his right to pull off a stunning catch.
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Twitterati elated about Ajinkya Rahane’s brilliant comeback
Team India batter Ajinkya Rahane is making his comeback to the test squad in the World Test Championship final. He was out of the Indian team for 18 months. However, on the back of a decent domestic season, and good performance in the IPL, he was recalled to the squad. The right-handed batter missed out on a well-deserved century in the match.
Rahane got lucky a few times in the innings, as he was dropped by David Warner. Earlier, he was given lbw off Pat Cummins, but the decision was over-turned as it was a no-ball. The veteran batter slammed 89 runs off 129 deliveries, with eleven boundaries and a six in the innings. He also completed 5000 runs in Test cricket for India during the match.
Let’s take a look at how fans reacted to Ajinkya Rahane’s comeback knock:
Well played, Rahane.
Missed a well deserving hundred by just 11 runs, but what a knock, One to remember in his life, returning to the Test team after 512 days. pic.twitter.com/dpv015S1RV
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 9, 2023
TAKE A BOW, AJINKYA RAHANE.
89 in 129 balls with 11 fours and a six. An innings to remember on the Test return, what a knock. He made a grand comeback! No words can describe his contribution today. pic.twitter.com/N4QsbvWiVz
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 9, 2023
What a knock by Rahane.
A come back to remember forever! Playing a Test after a year gap, with the attitude and skills he played this knock in an ICC tournament Final is stunning.
Well played, Jinx 👌. pic.twitter.com/h6F8RMAVSf
— Bhawana (@bhawnakohli5) June 9, 2023
He waited 18 months for this!
Was written off, almost forgotten, but never seemed to give up. Went back to domestic cricket, to the drawing board and waited his turn
Thank you Ajinkya Rahane for this lesson in patience, perseverance and in persistence! Played 🙌🏼#WTC2023Final pic.twitter.com/FXAJDogo3B
— Tanay Tiwari (@Tanay_Tiwari) June 9, 2023
Character has come shining through @ajinkyarahane88
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 9, 2023
Rahane IPL 2.0 scored far more quickly. Rahane Tests 2.0 played the ball much later & far more off the back foot. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼#ICCWTC2023
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) June 9, 2023
rahane has shown what going back to domestic cricket can do to a individual. #CricketTwitter
— Aman Choudhary (@puntereffect) June 9, 2023
Pichli baar kya bola tha, finished? 😎#WTCFinal #Rahane pic.twitter.com/sAiH2MY225
— Royal Simpson Pinto (@royalpinto007) June 9, 2023
Team India managed 296 runs in their first innings, handing a 173 runs lead to Australia. Shardul Thakur slammed 51 runs, while Ajinkya Rahane was the leading scorer with 89 runs. Ravindra Jadeja also played a fine hand of 48 runs in the innings. Pat Cummins took a three wicket-haul and was the pick of the bowlers for Australia.
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