Sachin and Rahul Dravid are my role models: Ajinkya Rahane

Indian middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane along with Rohit Sharma was today awarded the Arjuna Award by the Sports Ministry of India for his achievements on the cricket field in the last year. Rahane rose out of a humble background from the suburbs of Mumbai to become the vice-captain of the Indian Test team. He has scored runs around the world and in testing conditions to emerge as the mainstay of the batting.

Over the years he has also shown his ability to not just play the long and slow but also to play a paced knock to impact the outcome in the matter of a session. In a recent interview with HT, Rahane said when he received his maiden call he went blank for a bit and was really happy. “I was at home when I got a call from the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India). I was completely blank for a couple of seconds. I told my mother about it. We were very happy. I had already played domestic cricket for about six years. My ultimate goal was to represent my country. I played my first T-20 game in England in 2011. Sachin (Tendulkar), MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag were part of that team. I was shy and nervous. But they made me feel comfortable. They gave me the confidence to express myself.” Rahane said.

He named master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, the man who he shares a lot of things in common along with temperament and class as his role models. The Mumbaikar added, “Sachin and Rahul Dravid are my role models, not only for their cricketing abilities, but also for the people they are off the field. My father always told me, “Once you become a celebrity or a popular figure, everyone will recognise you. But it is important to be a good human being.”

Rahane comes across as the boy next door, has a familiar face and is simple and humble in his approach. His cricketing exploits have earned him a huge following among young, aspiring cricketers and followers of the game. He acknowledges his social reach and has it in mind to utilize it for the betterment of the society. “As a celebrity, you can help spread socially relevant messages. Earlier, I didn’t pay attention to this. But now, I’ve realised that it is important.” He said.

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Being an Indian cricketer isn’t an easy task, there are more than a billion people expecting you to go out there, perform and win each time. Add that to the pressure of the match and that is why we see a lot of player crumble to nerves at moments that matter. Talking about how he conceives pressure Rahane said. “Pressure is just a word. It is how you take it. I always take it in a positive and a challenging way. Pressure can either bring the best out of you or take you down. Whenever I feel I am under pressure, or a bit nervous, I perform better.”

His wife Radhika Dhopavkar is also from Mumbai, they knew each other for a long time before tying the knot a couple of years ago. Talking about his wife and marriage Rahane said, “We used to live in the same society. We first connected on Orkut and then on Facebook. When we met for the first time, I didn’t know what to say. I was very shy. But my wife loves to talk, so it was easier. Our partnership has been good. She’s understanding and supportive. I am lucky to have her in my life.”

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