"Please ask questions about this match only" - Ajinkya Rahane refuses to entertain query about absence from national team after Mumbai's Ranji QF win 

Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane refused to talk about his absence from the national team during Team India's whitewash against New Zealand at home last year. India lost their first red-ball series in 12 years as Tom Latham and Co. pulled off an unprecedented result.

Ajinkya Rahane last played for the Indian Test team during the 2023 tour of West Indies. Amid the transition, the middle-order has seen a drastic change, with the likes of Sarfaraz Khan, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer taking over. The veteran batter was not considered for the home season in 2024, despite leading Mumbai to the Ranji Trophy title at the start of the year.

The new-look Indian middle order had struggled to cope against Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel. Team India's misfortune in red-ball cricket continued as they suffered a 1-3 loss in the Border-Gavaskar series to be eliminated from the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals race.

Following Mumbai's win over Haryana in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final, Ajinkya Rahane was asked whether his presence in the Indian team could have prevented the series loss against New Zealand.

"Please ask questions about this match only. I don't believe in 'had this happened' and 'what ifs' and all. My job is to play cricket, and I am representing Mumbai at the moment, and my only focus is to give my best for this team. I still want to play Test cricket for India, and I am confident about it, but I just want to think about the present," Rahane said during the post-match presentation.

Rahane was also questioned about a potential comeback to the Test team during the England tour, which will kickstart the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

"That is in June, sir. There is still a lot of time left for that. There is a semi-final coming, and we'll go home for a couple of days and think about that match. As I said the hunger is there, it should be there otherwise there is nothing," he added.

Rahane was part of the side that toured England in 2021. He scored 109 runs in seven innings at an average of 15.57. However, in recent times, he has had a better grip on English conditions through his recent prolific stint with Leicestershire.

"I don't know what the future holds for me, but I have cricket left in me" - Ajinkya Rahane

Amid the heat on the current Indian Test unit and Ajinkya Rahane's purple patch, there has been some talk regarding the veteran batter's return to the national team. India's middle order has not fared well in red-ball cricket, irrespective of the conditions, while Rahane is having a solid campaign while leading Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.

The 36-year-old, upon being quizzed about his future, asserted that he still has the hunger and passion to continue playing cricket with the hopes of a national team recall.

"I'm batting quite well at the moment. I had a good Syed Mushtaq Ali campaign, and I had scored runs in the previous match too. So, I'm quite happy with my batting. My job is to keep contributing for the team. It is domestic cricket that has given me everything. The passion is still there in me, and I respect Test cricket a lot. I don't know what the future holds for me, but I have cricket left in me. You guys are seeing how I am playing domestic cricket with passion," Rahane said about his future.

"I want to keep delivering more than 100 percent for the team. Whatever happens in the future will happen, no one can stop that. So, my work is to play with a nice attitude and let the future take care of itself," he added.

Mumbai have been drawn to face Vidarbha in the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy. The clash will be a rematch of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy final, which the domestic heavyweights won by 169 runs at the Wankhede Stadium.