Elated after India’s memorable victory over Australia in the just-concluded Boxing Day Test, India head coach Ravi Shastri on Tuesday described stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane as a ‘shrewd leader’, whose calm demeanour is in sharp contrast to regular skipper Virat Kohli’s ‘passionate’ approach. Shastri termed Team India’s eight-wicket win against Australia as ‘one of the greatest comebacks’ in the history of the game after the visitors were ‘blown away’ in the series-opener in Adelaide.
The 58-year-old Shastri lauded the entire team with special praise for resilient debutants Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj after the 36 all-out nightmare in Adelaide. “I think it will go down in the annals of not only Indian cricket but world cricket as one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the game,” Shastri replied when asked to rate the win taking his four decades of association with the country’s cricket establishment into account.
“To be rolled over for 36 in three days and then get up and ready to punch back was outstanding. Boys deserve all credit for the character they showed. It’s real character,” said the former all-rounder, who is never short of words when it comes to praising his team.
Shastri was also asked about the difference in captaincy style of Rahane and Virat Kohli, who is currently on paternity leave. “See, both are good readers of the game, Virat is very passionate, Ajinkya, on the other hand, is very calm and composed, and it’s their characters.
“Virat is more in your face while Ajinkya is quite prepared to sit back in a very calm and composed manner, but deep inside he knows what he wants,” he opined.
The former batsman declared Rahane’s hundred as the turning point of the Boxing Day Test, calling his knock a display of ‘unbelievable concentration’. A dogged 112 by Rahane helped India gain a crucial 131-run lead in the first innings. India then bundled out the hosts for 200 in their second essay and then chased the 70-run target with ease
“The discipline, you know on such a big stage…When he (Rahane) went out to bat, we were 2 down for 60, and then to bat six hours, on probably the toughest day to bat, because it was overcast all day and he batted for six hours, unbelievable concentration,” he recalled.
“I thought that was the turning point. His innings was the turning point,” he added at the post-match virtual press conference.
Rahane’s knock in the first innings came in 223 balls and he hit 12 fours during it. The third Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy begins from January 7.