I played on instinct: Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane saw off the opening session in R. Ashwin’s company after the innings resumed on 231/7, with the duo raising 98 runs for the eighth wicket to help India reach 334.

Asked about his special innings at a venue where he had made his debut, Rahane said his mind wandered to the “good memories of the Lord’s Test against England last year” and he took inspiration from that.

“We were down at 193/6 yesterday and I was recollecting my memories of Lord’s while batting here. At Lord’s, we were almost in a similar situation at 128/6 and I had continued to bat on.

“I was very determined to stay out there today. I have been batting well recently and it was a matter of getting a big one. I wanted to stay blank and go purely by my instincts and this is what I told Ashwin this morning. It was very crucial to get a positive response from him and he backed me to play as I wanted,” Rahane said here after the day’s play.

This was Rahane’s fifth Test hundred in 21 matches, and the first at home. “It is a very special hundred for me. It has come at a time when the team needed me and it pleases me to contribute in this manner. The venue too holds a special place in my heart,” said the 27-year-old.

“Shot-making was not very easy and I think patience and determination were key. I have not made any changes to my batting technically, but I worked on the mental aspect. I sat with the think-tank to analyse where I was going wrong and assessed my batting. They felt that sometimes I was playing the shots a little too early and I tried to make all those changes this time,” he said.

Asked if India’s performance in the Delhi Test would take the focus away from the pitch debate, Rahane said the team “were only thinking of winning”.

“We are not thinking or talking about all this in the dressing room. It is important to win and I think a lot of credit should go to the bowlers today, especially Ishant and Umesh for their effort,” he said.