Rahul Dravid asked me not to chase selection for India, focus on the runs, and the challenge will come: Ajinkya Rahane

India’s vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane revealed that former captain Rahul Dravid told him not to worry too much about getting into the Indian team, as it would happen automatically if he continued to perform well.

Rahane made his first class debut in 2007 but it was only four years later that he played his first international match. His Test debut eventually came only in 2013. He was known as a prolific run scorer in the domestic circuit, scoring 1089 runs in his second Ranji Trophy season to lead Mumbai to their 38th title.

“I remember in a Duleep Trophy final, we were playing against South Zone in 2008-09 and Rahul Dravid was playing in it in Chennai. I got runs in that game 165 and 98. Rahul bhai called me up after the game and said, I’ve read about you a lot, you are scoring a lot of runs. As a player, it is very natural that you will start expecting an India call-up. All I would tell you is to keep on doing what you’ve been doing,” Rahane told ESPNCricinfo.

“You keep focussing on that and India call-up will come automatically. Don’t run after it, it will follow you. Getting that advice from someone like Rahul bhai really motivated me a lot. That inspired me a lot. He has seen a lot of ups and downs. I got another thousand runs next seasons and two years after that, I was selected,” said Rahane.

While he has not played a limited overs match for India since February 2018, Rahane remains an integral part of the Test team. He is currently in England with the rest of the team preparing for the final of the World Test Championship, in which India face New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl from June 18 to 22.