Pune: Brimming with confidence following his successful return from finger injury in the one-off Test against Bangladesh, middle order Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane on Monday called on his side to back their strength and play to their full potential when they will host Australia for a four-match Test series beginning Thursday here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (MCA).
"For our team it will be important to play to our potential and not to focus on their bowling or their strategies. It is important to back our own game and each and every member of our side," Rahane told the reporters.
Describing Australia as an 'experienced' team, Rahane called on his teammates to take one game at a time and then carry on that momentum for rest of the series.
"Australia, we all know, is a very good and experienced team. So, for us it will be important to play to our potential and back ourselves in the middle. As a team we are playing really well at a moment. It is important to take one game at the moment," he said.
Showing faith on Rahane's two years of hard work, India had selected the former over triple-centurion Karun Nair for the lone Test against Bangladesh, which the Virat Kohli-led side went on to win by massive 208 runs.
While Nair scored a triple century in the Chennai Test against England, Rahane had also repaid the faith India shown in him by scoring decent 82 and 28 in the two innings against Bangladesh.
"See in the end you are representing your country. Injuries are part and parcel of the game. You don't have control over injuries. But how Karun scored 303? It was really good to see him getting 300 runs for our country. In the end, we all are representing India. So I want to thank management and team. They backed me in Bangladesh game and definitely I wanted to back myself in the middle," he added.
India, who are on an unbeaten 19-match winning streak, will aim to continue their momentum and maintain top spot in rankings when they take on Australia.
Australia, on the other hand, are touring India for a full Test series for the first time since they were whitewashed 0-4 by the hosts in the 2012-13 season. The Aussies later defeated India 2-0 in a four-Test rubber played Down Under in the 2014-15 season.
Australia have never won a Test match in India since 2004 and their last series win in Asia came against Sri Lanka in 2011.
They have since suffered nine straight Test losses in the subcontinent.
