Ajinkya Rahane, who captained India to a memorable Test series win in Australia, received a red-carpet reception at his Matunga residence here on Thursday.
He gently rolled his young daughter Arya on the long carpet laid by members of the society where she lives, while a life-sized poster of the master batsman was pasted on a pillar, along with the words “Concert to Our Percent Pillar” Too. It is written over.
India’s series winning captian Ajinkya Rahane receiving a grand welcome as he returns back home in Mumbai. #INDvAUS #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/bc22dizSYL
— Gav Joshi (@Gampa_cricket) January 21, 2021
A large number of members of his society gathered near Rahane’s house as people showered rose petals on them, while drums and trumpets were constantly played. The series of ‘Aal Phir Again Ajinkya Alay’ (here comes our Ajinkya) can be clearly heard, all of which turned it into a festive occasion.
Rahane’s wife Radhika Dhopavkar also walked the red carpet.
Head coach Ravi Shastri, batsman Rohit Sharma, fast bowler Shardul Thakur, and opener Prithvi Shaw arrived in Mumbai, while fourth Test hero Rishabh Pant landed in New Delhi on Thursday morning.
Rahane’s welcome 👌💥🕺 pic.twitter.com/KxoUP9ehSP
— Ravi Kumar (@Ravigandha) January 21, 2021
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who beat India by three wickets and took five wickets in the fourth Test’s second innings, reached his hometown Hyderabad, and visited the cemetery where his father was buried. His father passed away when Siraj was in Australia, and declined the team’s offer to move to Hyderabad with his family after his father’s death.
Rahane took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli after the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when he later returned home with his wife, who was expecting their first child. The baby was born last week. Under his captaincy, India won the four-Test series 2–1.