Exclusive: I don't say too much, do my job quietly, but that doesn't mean people should take me for granted: Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane is going through a lean patch is no secret and no one knows that more than Rahane himself and he readily accepts that. The 33-year-old guided India to an unforgettable come-from-behind series win in Australia in 2020-21, after Virat Kohli left on paternity leave post the debacle in Adelaide (India 36 all out). But post that Rahane saw a slump in his own batting form, after a stellar role with the bat and as a captain in the series Down Under. Rahane lost the India Test vice captaincy to Rohit Sharma ahead of the tour of South Africa, on which he had poor run of form, managing to score just 136 runs in 3 Tests (6 innings). His shot selection came under the scanner and his place in the playing XI was questioned. Rahane will now be going back to domestic cricket and is hoping to have a good outing in the Ranji Trophy, where he aims to score lots of runs to recover his lost touch. Despite all the criticism he has faced in recent times, Rahane remains unruffled and is confident that he will be back with a bang, maintaining that there is still international cricket left in him.

(Image credit: Ajinkya Rahane's Twitter handle)TimesofIndia.com caught up with Ajinkya Rahane, who has 4931 runs in 82 Tests at an average of 38.52, including 12 centuries and 25 fifties, for an exclusive interview to talk about him going back to domestic cricket, whether he needs to be more outspoken, losing the Test vice captaincy, the historic series win Down Under and much more. Excerpts....You struggled to put up big scores in South Africa and faced quite a bit of criticism. Do you think you have Test cricket left in you and can make a comeback, or is this the end of the road for you as a Test cricketer? I believe in myself. I