Ajinkya Rahane is back in nets as first India vs England Test, which gets underway on February 5 (Friday), takes a countdown. The Indian Test vice-captain took to Instagram and shared a clip from his recent batting session in nets. He was seen polishing his skills against the spinners as the opening Test takes place in Chennai, which is known to favour the slow bowlers. However, the 32-year-old played all the shots with precision and would like to make a mark against the Three Lions as well. "Back to training," the veteran batsman captioned the video. India Likely Playing XI for 1st Test vs England: Probable Indian Cricket Team Line-up for Series Opener in Chennai.

Rahane's confidence must be on cloud nine as he recently led India to a historic 2-1 Test series triumph over Australia. While he played some crucial knocks, his on-field decision making in Kohli's absence was remarkable. As the regular skipper is back in the national team, the burden on Rahane's shoulders would be less, and he'll like to make his bat talk. Moreover, England have an inexperienced spin attack which would make Rahane's challenge relatively easier. Meanwhile, let's look at how the star batsman sweated it out in nets. IND vs ENG Dream11 Team Prediction: Tips to Pick Best Fantasy Playing XI for India vs England 1st Test 2021.

Watch Video:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane)

With a place in the ICC World Test Championship finals at stakes, the forthcoming series holds great relevance.  New Zealand have already secured a berth in the finals, and only one spot is up for grabs. India are favourites go through as they need to clinch the series by winning at least two games. On the other hand, the Three Lions have to script history by winning at least three of the four games. Notably, India haven't lost a home Test series since 2012 and breaching their fortress would be a jolting task for Joe Root's men.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 03, 2021 02:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).