Rahane plays late,very fine

Having earned the reputation of being a Mumbai run-machine so early in his career,it was natural for the youngster to think of getting a national call-up. Rahane,according to Amre,was entering a phase of depression.

The great depression

“There are two types of depression that a cricketer undergoes in his career,” Amre explains. “One,when he’s not scoring runs; the other when his efforts aren’t rewarded. Rahane was going through the second type.”

Rahane was of course scoring centuries for fun every season. But at the end of it,the all-important Team India call-up remained elusive. “As a result,he was getting depressed,” recalls Amre.

The situation was a tricky one. The only vacancy India had was at the top. But Rahane,who once opened regularly for Mumbai and scored plenty of runs,had dropped down the order to become a middle-order batsman. So as the selection committee picked those with lesser domestic credentials for the England tour,Rahane watched helplessly. Many a time,the 23-year old insisted: “I can bat at any position.”

Remembering that evening,Amre admits he didn’t have a clear answer to Rahane’s query,but persuaded the youngster to not give up. “Playing for Mumbai means Rahane will be watched very closely,so exposure was never a problem. It was important that he doesn’t lose his focus. I told him to leave every concern aside and just wait for his turn,” says Amre. Rahane then pinned his hopes on the IPL.

He had once been a benchwarmer in a star-studded Mumbai Indians’ side,before getting a call from Rahul Dravid to join the Rajasthan Royals this season. Rahane promptly agreed. “Rahul bats at the same position for India,where I do for Mumbai,” Rahane had said.

Emerging from Down Under

But what the IPL and 4600-odd first-class runs couldn’t do,an Emerging Players tour to Australia — and injuries to key Team India players — did. Rahane,with two centuries,finished top-scorer and the much-awaited call to join the Indian team in England finally came. Before packing his bags for the one-off T20 and ODIs,an elated Rahane told a friend: “Apna time aayega,abhi toh shuruvaat hai (My time will come,it’s just the beginning). Let me get a chance first.”

On Wednesday night,the boy from Mulund justified his inclusion with an innings of 61 in Manchester. Ironically,it was a vacancy in the opener’s slot that gave Rahane his first India cap. This time,he ensured that everyone asked: “What took the selectors so long to reward Rahane with a call-up?”