Life is a constant fight between evolution and stability. Both are necessary for survival and both co-exist with each other. That’s what Ajinkya Rahane is for the Indian cricket team. He is the evolution and stability in one small package. He holds the middle order together and plays crucial, fighting innings at crucial moments. He has an impressive average of 84.28 in 2016 and over all average of 54.56 in Test cricket.

But that does not tell us the whole story of Ajinkya Rahane. For that we should travel back in time when he toured New Zealand with the under-19 squad for the very first time. He scored two brilliant hundreds and on the merit of those hundreds, he was selected to play in Mohammad Nissar Trophy in Pakistan.

While playing in Karachi, he scored a brilliant 143 on his debut and he was just 19 years old then. All these runs came without any experience in first class cricket as well. Pure talent and instincts were doing his work for him. This made up the ground for his Ranji call-up for Mumbai. And since then he hasn’t looked back. He scored 1000 plus runs thrice in just five seasons while playing for Mumbai. In 2009-10 season, he scored his highest first class score of 265* and hand twisted the selectors to select him for the national team.

In just four short years, he has created a niche’ for himself in the longest version of cricket. He has been named vice-captain of the Test team led by Virat Kohli now. He is someone who averages almost the same in away (51.22) as well as in home (51.75 avg.) conditions. He scored his first international century in swinging, airy conditions of Basin Reserve, Wellington against a good bowling attack of New Zealand. He then scored a century at Lord’s and became immortal in the history books. He has been constantly improving since his debut for the Indian Test team. He averages 43.40, 44.94, 45.61, and 84.28 in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. With eight centuries and nine half centuries to his name already, he looks set to become next hot shot run-getter for India.

Moreover, Mumbai is known for producing cricketing gods for our country. Some of the highest run getter and century makers are from that same region. It’s almost impossible to get cricket out of the blood of Mumbaikar’s. But what’s really good to see is that he hasn’t been pressurised by the records of his predecessors. He knows his batting well, he has a sound technique, a gift to play swing bowling and he has been mentored by Rahul Dravid. And that’s where all the doubts about his class end.