'There is no point fighting,' says Ajinkya Rahane on no communication from BCCI on being dropped after 2023 WTC Final

Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane says that he never got any communication from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after being dropped from the Test side post-World Test Championship (WTC) Final in 2023. Rahane was India's highest scorer in the match in the first innings with 89 runs and chipped in with 46 runs in the second innings as well. India, however, had lost the match by 209 runs.

"When I was dropped a few years ago, I made runs and was picked for the World Test Championship final and then was dropped again. But what is in my control? To play. I did well in domestic cricket and in the IPL and was called again. Whenever an experienced player makes a comeback, one knows that he will get 2-3 series. I knew that South Africa was a challenging series and I was expecting a call, but I wasn't picked. I felt bad because I have been serving for so long," Rahane said in an interview with the Indian Express.

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"I'm not the person who will go and ask why I'm being dropped. There was no communication. Many said 'go and talk' but one can only talk when the other person is ready to talk. If he is not ready, there is no point fighting. I wanted to talk one on one. I never messaged. I felt odd when I was dropped after the WTC final because I had worked hard for it. I thought I would be there for the next series. There is no point cribbing. I can only do what is in my hands. There is a belief that I will make a comeback," he added.

Rahane might get a chance to play in India's upcoming Test tour of England in June 2025 after a dismal performance of players including senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on Australia tour in December 2024-January 2025.

India lost the five-Test series 1-3, with Rohit eventually sitting himself out of the final Test in Sydney due to poor form. Also, with Kohli still struggling for form in red-ball cricket, Rahane might be able to make a comeback one last time.