Calm Rahane finds perfect ally in newcomer Kuldeep
EARLY IMPETUS India’s standin skipper’s task was made easy by the chinaman bowler’s fourwicket haul
For someone who has proved his batting ability in all conditions overseas, it was a golden opportunity for Ajinkya Rahane to improve his home record as India’s long home season kicked off in September.
While Rahane averages 51.23 in away Tests (20), it dips to 37.83 (in 14 Tests) at home, which has been attributed to a lack of assurance while tackling spin on turning tracks.
Heading into the final Test in Dharamsala, Rahane may not have relished the home conditions, but had massive captaincy responsibilities too.
The vice-captain quietly stepped in to lead in the third Test in Ranchi after Virat Kohli hurt his shoulder in a fielding incident in the 40th over on the opening day.
Captaincy is a lot about handling bowlers, especially when the going gets tough, and that is where the leader’s personality comes to the fore.
The quiet Rahane is far removed from Kohli, always animated and goading his players as well as letting the opposition know what he thinks of them.
Players usually take time to warm up to captaincy changes. In Ranchi, Rahane kept things under control despite a big stand between skipper Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell.
In Dharamsala, Rahane had two challenges. Smith once again was building a big stand, with opener David Warner. And he had to get the timing of when to bring on debutant chinaman bowler, Kuldeep Yadav.
He was a touch conservative, bringing Kuldeep on only in the 29th over, with Australia on 120 for one, though the finger spin of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja didn’t find much help on the first day’s pitch. Rahane also chose to hold back the youngster, whose three wickets had left Australia struggling, around tea.
In the end, it proved a great day in office. While Ashwin foxed Smith bowling around the wicket, Kuldeep hardly gave Rahane too much to worry about with his control and wicket-taking skills.
His first 14-over spell (14-1-41-3) was followed by a single over, before he came on and bowled another long spell (8-1-27-1) that lasted until three overs before the innings ended.
The stand-in skipper also made two catches --- Warner and Smith --- look easy, with no overthe-top celebrations.
Rahane is now left in a perfect position to deliver with the bat.
He started the home season strongly, aggregating 347 runs in three Tests against New Zealand, including a century and a halfcentury. But he managed only 63 runs in the first three Tests against England, and broke his finger while taking throwdowns in the batting nets ahead of the fourth Test in Mumbai, thus missing the last two matches.
Although Karun Nair stepped in and smashed an unbeaten triple century in the final Test in Chennai, the team management acknowledged Rahane’s status in the side, promptly recalling him for the one-off-Test against Bangladesh by asking Nair to sit out. Rahane hit 82 and 28 in that easy win.