Leading from the front with a crucial fifty, Ajinkya Rahane has put India in a strong position on Day 2 of the second Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne.
India have gone past Australia's first innings total of 195-all out and Rahane is well set on 71 batting alongside Ravindra Jadeja who is helping him with the crucial partnership.
Seeing he skipper in form has got netizens talking, however, they are careful with their words as they don't want to 'Jinx' it.
Wana do some appreciation tweet For excellent presense of mind and sensibility of Rahane but Kahi Jinxing naa ho jaye isliye nHi karrha..#AUSvIND
— Anand Thakur (@iamakt27) December 27, 2020
#AUSvIND Ajinkya Rahane doesn't peforms well Under Kohli Captaincy. But Playing well in his Captaincy
Meanwhile Virat kohli-: pic.twitter.com/75SaK1YdbV
— Pulkit (@sarcasticyadav_) December 27, 2020
50 partnership up. If this pair continue to bat, we may not have to rely much on our 4th innings batting. Rahane fulfilling my trust. Much love to him. #AUSvIND
— Jay (@bhavsarJ2_0) December 27, 2020
What a sight it is! Mitchell Starc and Steven Smith looking helpless in front of Indian Captain Ajinkya Rahane#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BpLSW96ygu
— Madhav (@madhaavv) December 27, 2020
Hats off to Rahane for this knock after whatever happened in the last game and in the absence of two main players, Kohli and Shami. Keep going Jinx. Need a daddy hundred and huge first inning lead.#AUSvIND
— Viru Sharma (@183Mirpur) December 27, 2020
Rahane’s captaincy stood out in the second Test after India had lost the toss and fielded first. From the way he used Ravichandran Ashwin to calling a team huddle, his leadership style was in complete contrast to Virat Kohli’s.
Kohli gave his captaincy to Rahane when he took off for India on his paternity leave. His decision to go back home got mixed reviews from all over.
"I will be flying back after the first Test and that was purely based on the fact that we have a quarantine period both ways and I had explained the same to the selectors during our selection meeting," Kohli said in a virtual conference, a video of which was shared by the BCCI on Twitter.
I wanted to be back home in time to be with my wife for the birth of our first child: @imVkohli #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/oyYHMA6Vtt
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 26, 2020
"I wanted to be back home in time to be with my wife for the birth of our first child and it is a very very special and very very beautiful moment in our lives and something I truly want to experience," the skipper said before adding, "That was the reason behind my decision which was communicated to the selectors during the selection meeting."