Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane has opened up about the difficult period before his Test debut, recalling how he spent two years travelling with the Indian team as the 12th man.
Rahane made his international debut in limited-overs cricket in 2011 but had to wait 20 matches before making his Test debut. Rather than letting the prolonged wait affect him, Rahane said he used the time to observe senior players, learn from his teammates and work on his own game.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Rahane said: "The first two years, when I entered the team for the first time in 2011. I had to wait 20 games for my Test debut, and I was there as a 12th man for two years. That was a challenging phase, but I learnt a lot from it."
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Rahane said he could either seek sympathy for being left out or use the experience to improve himself.
"I had two choices: either to gain sympathy or try to improve myself. There is nothing bad about being a 12th man or serving water or helping your teammates. I took it positively."
The former India batter believes that observing the team from the sidelines eventually helped shape his approach and mindset.
"I would look at everything, and because of that, I could play for a long time. Observing helped my attitude and mindset. It would be easy to gain sympathy, but I never expected that."
Rahane also admitted that patience was not something he naturally possessed when he began his career. He said the quality developed with experience and as he progressed through domestic and international cricket.
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"It was there from before, but it also developed as I kept playing and gained experience. I will not say I had so much patience right from the start," Rahane said.
The Mumbai batter recalled how his experiences while travelling in local trains and playing domestic cricket also contributed to developing his patience.
"When you travel in a local train in Mumbai, it is challenging. So somewhere, patience develops right from there. When I started domestic cricket and kept scoring consistently, you unknowingly think that your name should come for India. And even I thought the same," he said.
Rahane said conversations with senior players eventually helped him understand that an India call-up would come at the right time, while his focus had to remain on the things within his control.
"But after talking to some senior players and over time, I realised it will happen when it has to happen. You do whatever is in your control. If you want to play for long, patience is important," he added.
Rahane recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He finished his Test career with 5,077 runs in 85 matches at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries.
He also represented India in 90 ODIs, scoring 2,962 runs at an average of 35.26, with three centuries and 24 half-centuries. In 20 T20Is, Rahane scored 375 runs.
His Test debut eventually came in 2013, after the two-year wait that he now credits as an important part of his development as a cricketer.
