Ajinkya Rahane expressed his frustration with the BCCI and selectors for leaving him out of the Test side. His commented after scoring 159 off 303 balls against Chhattisgarh in the Ranji Trophy, where he helped his team reach a total of 406 for 8 by the end of the second day.

Following his knock, Rahane lambasted the Indian selectors for leaving him out of the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad. He mentioned that his experience could have been crucial during the disappointing tour of Australia, where the Indian team lost the five-match series 1–3. Even after winning the first Test in Perth, India were dominated by the Australian side for the rest of the series.

“Age is just a number, As a player, if you have the experience, if you are still playing domestic cricket, if you are still giving your best, I think selectors should consider you. It’s not about the age. It’s about the intent. It’s about the passion for the red ball,” Rahane said.

The 37-year-old batter played a pivotal role in India’s Test series victory in Australia during 2020–21. With Virat Kohli taking paternity leave, Rahane took charge and orchestrated one of India’s greatest comebacks, with the series-winning triumph at the Gabba, securing a 2–1 result.

The Mumbai batter revealed that he has not heard from the BCCI about his snub, despite putting up solid performances in domestic cricket. After his last appearance for India in the 2023 World Test Championship Final, he has been clear about his goal of making a national team comeback.

“After all these years of playing cricket, I could sense something was off when experienced players were dropped. I think we deserve more opportunities, but there is no communication at all,” he said on Sunday.

“I still enjoy playing the game. I can only focus on what’s in my hands, which is putting up the best performance possible. Whether or not I’m chosen is their call, but I feel the Indian team needed me in Australia, and I was fully prepared for that challenge,” he concluded.

Earlier, Mohammed Shami has slammed the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for his snub.