Bhopal: Rahane bats straight to Kapil’s Sachin ‘bouncer’
Team India batsman Ajinkya Rahane in BHopal on Sunday played safe when his comment was sought on former Indian skipper Kapil Dev’s remark that iconic Sachin Tendulkar could have done better if he had not followed the Bombay school of cricket.
Team India batsman Ajinkya Rahane in BHopal on Sunday played safe when his comment was sought on former Indian skipper Kapil Dev’s remark that iconic Sachin Tendulkar could have done better if he had not followed the Bombay school of cricket.

“Don’t throw googly and bouncer at me by asking such a question. I can’t comment on Kapil Dev’s remarks,” Rahane told mediapersons here.
Kapil had said Sachin did not know how to make double and triple hundreds and 400 despite having the ability and was stuck in the Mumbai school of cricket. He added that he would have advised Sachin to play like Virender Sehwag.
“I have learnt a lot from senior cricketers. Cricketers like Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly are my idols. I have learnt a lot from them not only about cricket but also about art of living. ... I want to carve a niche for myself so people know me as Ajinkya Rahane only,” Rahane said, responding to a query about his role models.
The promising batsman recollected his time spent on the bench learning the finer nuances of the game from Dravid, VVS Laxman and Tendulkar.
Showing satisfaction over emerging of good number of players from small towns, Rahane said it was happening due to dedication of cricketers.
“A good number of players are emerging from small towns and it has become possible due to dedication of players towards cricket. Undoubtedly, facilities and coaching matter but a hard work and passion are more important in the field of sports,” Rahane added.
Rahane also praised Indore’s crowd who cheered the team with flashlight of mobiles during the 2nd ODI of India-South Africa series.
Rahane is also a good karate player and saladmaker. He said, ‘I chose Karate as I wanted to play outside and to make friends but it helped me in keeping myself physically fit. Similarly, diet matters a lot for sportspersons. Small sacrifice in the eating habits will help sportspersons in keeping themselves fit for a long time. Otherwise after 30 years, body starts to react.”
Other than being a cricketer or karate player Rahane also wanted to become an Air Force officer. In Bhopal, Rahane inaugurated University Sports League of Sarvepali Radhakrishnan University. Rahane also interacted with school and college students during inaugural function.
ABOUT THE AUTHORShruti TomarI have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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