Ajinkya Rahane's Return To India's Test Team For WTC Final Sends Twitter Into Meltdown

Fans rejoiced as veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane made his return to the Indian squad for the World Test Championship final against Australia. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad on Tuesday, handing the 34-year-old a return for the summit clash against Australia in June. It was at the start of last year that Rahane had featured in the whites for India, playing against Australia. Having done the hard work in domestic cricket and shown exemplary form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the 34-year-old impressed the selectors enough to earn a recall.

Rahane's comeback after 15 months was on predictable lines after Shreyas Iyer's back injury ruled him out of the grand finale. Iyer has undergone surgery in the UK for a lower back stress fracture.

Rahane played the last of his 82 Tests in January 2022 against South Africa in Cape Town. Here's how fans reacted to his return:

Ajinkya Rahane included in the Indian team for the WTC final.Welcome back, Rahane. pic.twitter.com/QarI9TCXoo

I had been thinking, and chatting to people, about India's squad for the WTC Final. And whichever way I looked at it, I was zeroing in on this team. That suggests there weren't too many choices. The only real talking point is the return of Rahane. Looks in good form, not slogging…

Ajinkya Rahane makes his return to the India team after 17 long months.The comeback man - Rahane! pic.twitter.com/uw9lJMj5E4

Ajinkya Rahane is back in the test squad.Welcome Back Rahane. pic.twitter.com/DsLfxfBHZH

Ajinkya Rahane included in the Indian team for WTC Final 2023.Welcome back Rahane #AjinkyaRahane #wtcfinal #WTC2023 pic.twitter.com/X4EAomVGaJ

Ajinkya Rahane included in the WTC Final squad!! We'll