Rahane was one of the many batsmen tried at the No. 4 spot in the lead up to the World Cup, before identifying KL Rahul as their primary No. 4 for the tournament. However, an injury to Shikhar Dhawan saw Rahul promoted to the opener’s role, after which Vijay Shankar, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya were all handed the role one by one.

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— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) August 21, 2020

Rahane, who was out of favour from the ODI team and playing county cricket for Hampshire during the World Cup, felt that he should have been there at number four, sparing India of all the chopping and changing mid-tournament.

Rahane last batted at number four for India during the six-ODI series on their tour to South Africa in 2018, scoring 140 runs in five innings at 35. He is currently focussed on the upcoming IPL, where he will represent the Delhi Capitals, but has set his sights on an ODI return.

“I was actually thinking I will be there in the World Cup batting at No. 4, but it is gone now,” he said at a virtual press conference. “You cannot think too much about it. My goal, my aim, is to come back into the ODI team, do well in white-ball cricket which I am really confident about. I don’t think too much about it [the World Cup], [but] yes, especially when I was playing county cricket when World Cup was happening…as a player everyone wants to be a part of the World Cup team, especially when you know you have worked really hard, your record in the past was really good.

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“But I always think of things I can control as an individual and how can I give my best and learn and get better as a cricketer. Right now my only aim is to do well for Delhi Capitals. And I am sure about my ODI comeback, and I do believe in myself. Not thinking too much about it, but yes at that time I felt that I should be there at No. 4.”