London [UK], July 12 (ANI): Former captain and seasoned batter Ajinkya Rahane expressed his desire to play Test cricket for India, a format he loves, despite getting 'no response' from selectors.

The 37-year-old, who was a part of India's defeat in the World Test Championship 2023 final against Australia, has been out of favour since the tour of the West Indies in 2023. After the conclusion of the series, Rahane was dropped from the fold and continued to put in the hard yards in the domestic setup to force his way into the side yet again.

Rahane is present at the 'Home of Cricket', Lord's, for India's third Test against England. After both teams took lunch on the third day, Rahane, known for his robust technique, made an honest admission and declared his yearning to still play Test cricket for India.

'I still want to play Test cricket, I am passionate about Test cricket. For me, it is about focusing on the controllable. Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but I got no response. What I can do is keep playing. I love Test cricket. I love playing with the red ball. It is a passion,' Rahane told Sky Sports.

After batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Tests, there was a bleak opportunity for Rahane's return. Despite his valuable experience of playing in England, the Indian selectors entrusted their faith in youngsters and infused young blood into the squad.

Rahane, who is among the selected Indians to celebrate a century at Lord's, has had a fair share of memorable moments in the whites. During India's tour of Australia for the 2020-20 21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rahane took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli, who left the tour due to the birth of his child.

With Rahane at the helm, India notched mercurial wins in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne and the decisive Gabba Test to script a fairy-tale series. He finished as India's third-highest run-getter with 268 runs, including a century in the Boxing Day Test in front of a jam-packed crowd at the MCG.

Rahane outlined the difference in his captaincy style from Virat's and said, 'Every captain must have their own style. When I became the Test captain, I always wanted to back my style, thinking, and instinct. For me, it was about staying true to my character, backing my instincts.'

Since making his debut in 2013, Rahane has earned 85 Test caps, garnered 5077 runs at 38.46, laced with 12 centuries and 16 fifties. The 37-year-old captained Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy last season, finishing with 467 runs in nine appearances at 35.92, including a solitary ton and a fifty. He steered Mumbai to the semi-finals but failed to reclaim the title after a heartbreaking defeat against Vidarbha. (ANI)