Ajinkya Rahane waves his bat to the crowd as he leaves the field following play on day two of the second cricket Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (Source: AP) Stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane stepped out of Virat Kohli’s shadow with an inspiring century on Sunday as India’s batsmen banished their horror 36 in Adelaide to take control of the second Test against Australia on day two.
Rahane, left to rally India after Kohli’s departure in the wake of the Adelaide humiliation, stamped his authority with an unbeaten 104 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, driving the tourists to 277 for five before rain brought stumps early. Rahane cut paceman Pat Cummins to backward point for four to bring up his 11th Test century. He raised his bat in an understated celebration as Indian fans in the terraces roared.
Rahane was reprieved on 73 when dropped by Steve Smith in the slips, and again on 104 when Travis Head coughed up a diving chance on the final ball of the day, but it was a captain’s knock of the highest quality. Here is how the cricket world reacted:
Another great day for us. Proper test cricket at its best. Absolutely top knock from Jinks👌@ajinkyarahane88
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) December 27, 2020
A captains 💯 solid , gritty and calm just like his personality @ajinkyarahane88 sharp mind in field setting aswell ! @imjadeja looking great how good has he become batting lowerdown the order for🇮🇳 ! Great start for @RealShubmanGill ! We are looking good for a decent lead 👊🏽
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) December 27, 2020
.@ajinkyarahane88 shows Test match batting is about swallowing your ego. Lie low for the first two sessions, show your swagger in the final session. Mumbai ishtyle Test batting. Top effort skipper, kudos!
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) December 27, 2020
Brilliant hundred by @ajinkyarahane88 .
Determination and class.— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 27, 2020
Brilliant captains knock from @ajinkyarahane88 Great exhibition of character. Useful contributions from Gill, Pant and Jadeja. Decisive 3rd day looms. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/S8FiKmNjkP
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 27, 2020
Well played @ajinkyarahane88 ..of course class is permanent & so is ‘B’bay’s Khadus School of batting’…Ind though has a mountain to climb to wipe out Adelaide avalanche…for now Test Crkt thrives..& how..!!!
— Bishan Bedi (@BishanBedi) December 27, 2020
Brilliant 100 .. Well done @ajinkyarahane88 captain leading from the front 🏏⭐️👌 @BCCI
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) December 27, 2020
Leadership responsibility is indeed getting the better of him! #AjinkyaRahane #AUSvIND
— Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) December 27, 2020
A fab innings @ajinkyarahane88. The fierce determination and focus was such a pleasure to watch #ManOnFire#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/vRkfZfnPdn
— DK (@DineshKarthik) December 27, 2020
Sometimes you see a performance that mirrors a player’s character. This century by @ajinkyarahane88 did just that. He can be so proud of this innings.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 27, 2020
Quiet resolve, no histrionics, hall mark of that Ajinkya Rahane 100. Against a quality attack at a crunch time. Great Test hundred! 👏👏👏#AusvIndia
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) December 27, 2020
One of the finest innings by an Indian captain in a tough conditions and situation abroad. Well done #AjinkyaRahane #indvsaus2020 . Rahane enjoying extra responsibility.
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) December 27, 2020
Extremely happy for @ajinkyarahane88 . What a knock on what an occasion. Captain’s knock!! Looking forward to a big lead.#indvsaus2020
— Unmukt Chand (@UnmuktChand9) December 27, 2020
💯
Captain @ajinkyarahane88 leading from the front. Brings up a brilliant century. His 12th in Test cricket 👏👏#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/23w9KS57fw
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 27, 2020
Ajinkya Tera Kya Kehna….mazaaa aa gaya. Superb captaincy. And now outstanding batting. Stay unbeaten tonight and tomorrow will be a happy day 😇👏👏
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 27, 2020
One of Rahane’s best Test hundreds. One of the best away hundreds from an India captain. Leading by example. Leading from the front. Admiration and respect ✊ #Champion #AusvInd
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 27, 2020
Another dominant day of Test cricket for #TeamIndia.
It was a day that is undoubtedly headlined by Captain @ajinkyarahane88, whose century (104* off 200) will go down as one of the best by an Indian captain on foreign soil.#TeamIndia 277/5 (Rahane 104*, Jadeja 40*) pic.twitter.com/zwuHWWHYjP
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 27, 2020
STUMPS!
Play on Day 2 has been suspended with #TeamIndia on 277/5, lead by 82 runs.
Scorecard – https://t.co/lyjpjyeMX5 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/9OH5eDxUC0
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 27, 2020
India have a lead of 82 runs in reply to Australia’s first innings 195. He had pulled India from early peril on a muggy, overcast day and with Ravindra Jadeja (40 not out) built a 104-run partnership that spanned the final session.
It capped a stunning turnaround from the farce at Adelaide Oval, where he ran out his captain Kohli in the first innings and was then out for a duck as India slumped to their lowest ever Test innings total.
