Ian Chappell praises Ajinkya Rahane for his captaincy skills

Ajinkya Rahane earned lots of accolades from cricketing fraternity around the world as he guided India to a victory over Australia at Dharamsala in the last test match, thus completing a series win and helping India regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

©BCCI

India were without Virat Kohli who suffered a shoulder injury in the previous test at Ranchi and was not fully fit for the last test. 

So, Rahane was given the opportunity and he displayed remarkable trait of captaincy with his cool yet aggressive instinct.

He took India across the finishing line.

Former Australian skipper, Ian Chappell was pretty impressed  and full of praises for the stand-in captain of Indian Cricket Team.

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo the legend shared his views.

India are very very lucky to have a stand in captain like Rahane. I thought he did a fantastic job," the former Australian captain told ESPNcricinfo.

"It is not easy to do the job of a fill in because you know the actual captain has a got a certain style. So (in that situation), you think 'what do I do? Do I try to copy that style or do I just be myself', and Rahane did the right thing. He captained in his own way," said Chappell.

Rahane performed the duties in his own quiet way, a contrast to the usually animated Kohli on the field.

"I would say Rahane is aggressive in his own quiet way.

You know you don't have to be a gung ho captain to have the whole team behind you. You just need to do a good job and have the guys have faith in what you are doing.

"And if you are making the right moves, the aggressive field placing moves that Rahane was making, that sort of ting brings the right behind the captain.

"They (Kohli and Rahane) do it totally different. But I thought Rahane did a good job and had the team right behind him because of the way he captained," added Chappell.

Rahane surely has shown the character and maturity needed for the job of captaincy. Hopefully he can captain Team India in future.

©sportskafun.blogsot.com

Lethal Australia do the damage with the second new ball

The Bengaluru pitch played it's part quite remarkably in the 1st session of the 4th day.

Credits : The Indian Express

India, who ended the 3rd day on a high without losing any wickets in the final session of the play, began the 4th day comfortably with Pujara and Rahane on the crease.

Rahane completed his half-century, while Pujara was sensing another century after spending more than 5 hours in the middle.

From 238-4 to 246-8

Australia needed something to put the pressure back on the Indians and the second new ball did exactly that.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood ran through the Indian middle order after knocking down 4 wickets in the 3 overs.

Starc started the destruction by first picking Rahane leg before wicket (with the help of DRS) and then on the very next ball Karun Nair on a duck. It looked almost inevitable to fend off Starc with the new ball. He was absolutely lethal.

In the next over, Hazlewood completed his 5-wicket haul by dismissing the set batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and then R. Ashwin. Hazlewood later got Umesh Yadav out on the edge of the circle.

This bowling performance by Aussie seamers shows how India needs to put their foot ahead when they come out to defend the target, whichever they set.

Wriddhiman Saha is showing some resilience after the stumble.

He, with Ishant Sharma, is the last pair on the crease as India still look to add some valuable runs to defend.

India trail by 1-0 in the series.

©sportskafun.blogspot.com