Ajinkya Rahane, the former Test vice-captain, made a stunning comeback into the Indian team after a 17-month hiatus, scoring 89 runs as India posted a fighting 296 in their first innings of the ICC WTC 2023 final against Australia at the Oval.

Facing a tough task of overhauling 469 runs put on by Australia, thanks to centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith, Indian batters found the going tough as they were reduced to 71/4 at one stage.

First Ravindra Jadeja (48) added 71 runs with Rahane and then Rahane added 109 runs with Shardul Thakur (51) to take India to a respectable total, conceding a 173-run lead in the process.

Rahane was recalled to the Indian team on the back of a strong performance in Ranji Trophy and then his aggressive batting in IPL 2023 for Chennai Super Kings led to BCCI selectors showing faith in him once again.

However, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes that labeling Rahane as the side's ‘crisis man’ would be too farfetched for now.

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“I don't think Ajinkya Rahane can be called a batter in crisis. There's another innings to go, the crisis has to be averted in a way that you either draw or win the game. But this innings, solely on the kind of odds... he's done brilliantly.

To call him the player in crisis... he has played an odd inning, but the old Ajinkya Rahane would follow it with low scores. Who knows, the new Ajinkya Rahane could be the Test batter 2.0. Maybe, he can carry it in the second innings as well,” Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.

However, during commentary, Sunil Gavaskar said that Rahane has “always risen to the occasion” and has often bailed India out of trouble.

“Look at the hundreds he scored, they have mostly been when India was in trouble. He has always risen to the occasion; he has a sense of the occasion. He's one of those low-profile players who won't be thumping his chest when he gets to a half-century or a century. He just raises his bat, goes about his business quietly, but assuredly,” Gavaskar had said on Star Sports.