Ajinkya Rahane has been recalled to India’s Test squad for the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia, generating significant reaction on social media.

Rahane last played a Test match in January last year, when he made scores of nine and one against South Africa in Cape Town. He was dropped for India’s next series against Sri Lanka having scored 136 runs across his previous six innings.

Since his Test match debut in 2013, Rahane has scored 4,931 runs in the format at an average of 38.52. He has 12 Test match centuries, the most recent of which came against Australia in 2020 at the MCG during India’s famous Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory in the country. Rahane captained India in the second-half of that series after Virat Kohli returned home on paternity leave.

His recall comes off the back of a stellar run of form in IPL 2023. Playing for Chennai Super Kings, he has scored 209 runs in five innings at a blistering strike rate of 199.04 – the highest in the season. His most recent innings was a 29-ball 71 not out that included five sixes and six fours.

The other factor behind Rahane’s recall is the continued absence of Rishabh Pant in the middle-order. Pant is still recovering from a car crash which has kept him out of action since December last year. KS Bharat has been named as the specialist wicket-keeper in the squad.

Reactions to Rahane’s recall

Ajinkya Rahane in last 20 days:

•Comeback in IPL.
•Scored 61(27) in first match IPL 2023.
•209 runs, 52.3 ave, 199.05 SR.
•Best strike rate in this IPL.
•Man of the match award in this IPL.
•Selected in India’s squad for WTC final.

AJINKYA RAHANE, 2.0 NOW. INCREDIBLE. pic.twitter.com/sCPDizwaRY

— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) April 25, 2023

Ajinkya Rahane included in the Indian team for the WTC final.

Welcome back, Rahane. pic.twitter.com/QarI9TCXoo

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 25, 2023

Ajinkya Rahane makes his return to the India team after 17 long months.

The comeback man – Rahane! pic.twitter.com/uw9lJMj5E4

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 25, 2023

I had been thinking, and chatting to people, about India’s squad for the WTC Final. And whichever way I looked at it, I was zeroing in on this team. That suggests there weren’t too many choices. The only real talking point is the return of Rahane. Looks in good form, not slogging…

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 25, 2023

Other IPL batsmen get orange cap for their performance. Rahane got blue cap pic.twitter.com/nYu5ayLZvB

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) April 25, 2023

Getting Rahane back in Test side is a very short sighted move. Another selection in the Test team that has been done on the basis of performances in other formats. He didn’t do anything special in the FC games he played. It might seem one off for the WTC Final, but it won’t be

— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) April 25, 2023