Ajinkya Rahane: Zen of a batsman

The contrast on Day Three in Melbourne couldn't be more striking. Virat Kohli was batting with his usual flair, wearing emotions on his sleeve. Ajinkya Rahane was batting with his usual composure, not giving an inch to the opposition, both in terms of his play and emotions. While Kohli was like a blockbuster movie in the Rs100-crore club, Rahane was akin a critically-acclaimed art cinema.

And yet, it was the shy Mumbaikar who out-scored his more flamboyant and experienced Delhiwalla in their record 262-run stand in the drawn third Test, slamming a 171-ball 147 at a strike rate of 86 (Kohli scored a 272-ball 169 at a strike rate of 62). In quite a few moments in that innings, it was Rahane who looked like carrying India on his young shoulders, even helping the ever-aggressive Kohli calm his nerves after a spat with Mitchell Johnson.

Strange, isn't it, coming from a player who has just played 13 Tests for the country? From being dropped after a nightmarish debut against Australia at home last year to becoming a key member of India's fragile batting line-up, the 26-year-old has had a remarkable rise. Mind you, he's even in contention to become Kohli's deputy in Tests.

In this day and age where most batsmen struggle to score big outside their own backyard, Rahane's three centuries have come on foreign shores – 118 in Wellington, 103 at Lord's and 147 in Melbourne. In fact, except for his first Test, Rahane has played all other 12 matches outside India. And yet, he has emerged as India's best batsman in the last one year, notching up 1,026 runs at an average of 45.

In Australia, Rahane has accumulated 348 runs so far in the three Tests including a ton and two half-centuries. It's not just about the runs, though. The confidence with which he is going about his business in one of the toughest tours in cricket is giving the impression that the studious-looking Dombivli lad has taken his game to another level.

"Definitely," Pravin Amre, Rahane's mentor-coach, said. "For any batsman, performing in Australia is the benchmark. Yes, there is England, South Africa and other countries, but the pressure of playing in Australia is very different. They know their conditions so well. You have to be one step ahead to perform there. That's exactly what Ajinkya did."

Rahane knew that, and had Australia in the back of his mind last year itself. Talk of foresightedness.

"When he broke into the team, both he and I knew that all the future tours were overseas – South Africa, New Zealand, England and then Australia. He was prepared for Australia that time itself.

"Though he was taking it one tour at a time, we discussed that even if he did well in South Africa, New Zealand and England but failed in Australia, people would again question his ability. Everyone put a question mark over him after that first Test against Australia (in Delhi). So he didn't want to give that chance to anyone again. He just wanted that hunger to continue. I think that's the bottomline," the former India player said.

After warming the benches for two years, Rahane finally got his chance in March 2013. He returned with scores of seven and one, a soft dismissal in the first innings and a slog caught at deep midwicket in the second. Most experts gave their verdict: He doesn't belong to this level. That is when Amre took him under his wings and this proved to be a gamechanger.

"He's making up for the poor start," Amre said. "He knows he belongs to that level. It was very hard when he came in that slot. He has now settled himself in the batting order. For so many days he was just playing a supporting role outside the team, but now he has become a key member.

"Honestly, I'm not surprised by his confidence levels in Australia, because I was monitoring him for the last one-and-a-half years. So I know how he prepared himself," he added.

Most players prepare by playing on pitches that best duplicate the one's they're going to play on, but Rahane geared himself up by visualising.

"Everybody knows what type of wickets you get in Australia, the kind of bounce and speed you can expect there. You have to visualise the kind of shots you will play there. Rahane did that. You have to enhance your skills for every tour. And then you have to set your mind differently, which is very important. It looks simple, but those are vital ingredients when it comes to delivering at the highest level," Amre said.

It's no wonder then that Rahane hooked and pulled those thunderbolts from Johnson with ridiculous ease in Melbourne. He took the attack to the Australians, something you don't expect from the Rahane school of batting.

"I don't think it was planned. He was just playing on the merit of the ball. He was in such a good position that he was scoring effortlessly. It wasn't that he wanted to bat like anybody. I personally feel he should be Ajinkya Rahane. We should not compare him with anybody because he will have his own natural game, which he should back," Amre said.

More than anything else though, there's one thing about his ward that has made Amre happy.

"Earlier, I had helped Rahane prepare for three tours, but this season, I have been busy with the Mumbai team. However, what I'm happy about is that he can now prepare himself. That's the stage he is at right now. He's a responsible player and doesn't need someone to tell what's to be done. He's doing his job well," Amre said.

Having gone through a dream 2014, the pressure will only grow on Rahane to deliver consistently, no sooner than the fourth Test that starts in Sydney on Tuesday. Having gone to the "next level", can he stay there?
"We should not dream long. It's about staying in the present. A good base will take care of the future, and that's what we should look for," Amre said.