After securing a place in the Indian squad for the highly anticipated ICC World Test Championship final to be held at The Oval in June, Ajinkya Rahane shared a message where he revealed the steps taken on his journey back.
Rahane had been dropped from the Test side following a lacklustre performance with the bat during the South Africa tour in 2022. However, he managed to earn a spot in the team for the WTC final against Australia, to be played in south London from June 7 to June 11.
“In my career as a professional cricketer, I have realized that the journey is not always smooth sailing,” Rahane wrote on his LinkedIn profile. “There are moments when things don’t go as planned, and it becomes tempting to get bogged down by the result. However, I have learned that it is essential to stick to the process and not let the outcome affect our focus.
“As I look back on my career, I realize that the moments when I stuck to the process, despite the unfavourable result, were the ones that taught me the most. These are the moments that helped me grow as a person and as a cricketer. I realized that the times when I let the result dictate my approach were not my finest moments.”
Rahul Dravid, the current India coach, is a strong believer in process-driving coaching. But it was after he took over from Ravi Shastri that Rahane found himself out in the cold. “Sticking to the process is not only essential in cricket but in any field that demands excellence,” wrote Rahane, who even captained India to famous series-clinching Test wins in Dharamsala (2017) and Brisbane (2021). “It helps us focus on the things that we can control and take ownership of our actions. When we focus on the process, we don’t get overwhelmed by the outcome, and it keeps us motivated to keep working towards our goals.
“As someone who has been in the spotlight for several years, I know that the expectations can be overwhelming. However, I have learned to not let the pressure get to me and focus on the things that I can control. It is the same advice that I would give to anyone who is looking to advance in their field.”
After Chennai Super Kings gave him an opportunity to bat in the top order during the ongoing IPL season, Rahane has been a revelation, scoring faster than the league’s legendary hitters. “So, let us all focus on the process and trust in our abilities,” he wrote to conclude his post. “The results will follow, but until then, let us keep working hard and keep pushing ourselves towards excellence.”