Ajinkya Rahane’s stunning captaincy and tactical brilliance helped India bowl Australia out for 195 after losing the toss and then he slammed a superb 112 as India took an invaluable 131-run lead in the first innings. Rahane’s poised knock sparked a comparison between him and regular captain Virat Kohli. Indian coach Ravi Shastri was also asked to reflect on Rahane’s captaincy after India beat Australia by 8 wickets to level the series 1-1.

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India head coach Ravi Shastri on Tuesday described stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane as a “shrewd” leader, whose calm demeanor is in sharp contrast to regular skipper Virat Kohli’s “passionate” approach

“He is a very shrewd leader and a good reader of the game. I thought his calm composure out there helped the debutants as well as the bowlers. There was a calming influence out there despite losing Umesh,” Shastri said after the eight-wicket triumph in the greatest comeback of the game after 1st test disaster

Indian Coach Ravi Shastri Compared Captaincy Style Of Ajinkya Rahane And Virat Kohli

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Shastri was also asked about the difference in captaincy style of Rahane and 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,” the coach opined.

With a win at Melbourne, Ajinkya Rahane managed to keep his 100% record of winning every Test he has captained. From keeping calm on the field to handing long spells to bowlers, Rahane’s leadership style was in complete contrast to Virat Kohli’s.

Rahane introduced Ashwin in the 11th over and the decision turned out to be a tactical masterstroke. Ashwin bagged Matthew Wade and Steven Smith in his first spell. The huddle had a lot more voices and looked confident. After Rahane’s a short speech, an animated Ashwin was seen addressing the team. Indian team huddles under Kohli are one-dimensional, where mostly the skipper is the main speaker.

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Shastri Stated Rahane’s First Innings Hundred As Turning Point Of The Test Match.

“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. I thought that was the turning point. His innings was the turning point,” he added at the post-match virtual press conference