▁support ▁he ▁received ▁from ▁the ▁princes ▁and ▁British ▁officials , ▁and ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁anyone ▁to ▁point ▁out ▁that ▁his ▁ad option ▁by ▁V ib h aj i ▁was ▁never ▁carried ▁out , ▁must ▁have ▁encourag ed ▁Ran j its in h ji ▁that ▁his ▁claim ▁was ▁vi able . ▁Having ▁done ▁all ▁he ▁could ▁in ▁India ▁for ▁the ▁moment , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁England ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 9 9 . ▁ ▁Record ▁break er ▁ ▁Return ing ▁to ▁England ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁cr icket ▁season , ▁Ran j its in h ji ▁immediately ▁res umed ▁playing ▁cr icket . ▁However , ▁his ▁approach ▁to ▁batt ing ▁had ▁changed ▁during ▁his ▁absence , ▁and ▁he ▁showed ▁greater ▁determ ination ▁to ▁succeed . ▁His ▁health ▁seemed ▁improved ▁and ▁financial ▁assistance ▁from ▁his ▁supp or ters ▁in ▁India ▁gave ▁him ▁resp ite ▁from ▁mon et ary ▁wor ries . ▁Having ▁increased ▁in ▁weight , ▁he ▁was ▁more ▁notice ably ▁mus cular ▁and ▁could ▁drive ▁more ▁effectively ▁than ▁previously . ▁After ▁an ▁uncertain ▁start ▁on ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁difficult ▁pitch es ▁for ▁batt ing , ▁he ▁informed ▁the ▁select ors ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁Test ▁against ▁the ▁Austral ians , ▁who ▁were ▁tour ing ▁England ▁once ▁again . ▁He ▁was ▁selected ▁anyway ▁and ▁after ▁scoring ▁ 4 2 ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁inn ings , ▁he ▁hit ▁ 9 3 ▁not ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁which ▁ens ured ▁England ▁drew ▁the ▁match ▁after ▁losing ▁early