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

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India Ajinkya RahaneSeries EditorialWorld Test Championship 2021/23