Former Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane strolled down memory lane to recall the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 tour Down Under when he was really nervous after taking over captaincy from the regular captain Virat Kohli.
It is worth noting that Kohli captained India in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval, where the team was bowled out for just 36 runs in the first innings. However, Rahane took over as stand-in captain for the remaining three Tests after Kohli returned to India for the birth of his first child.
Speaking at an event titled ‘Beyond Boundaries’, Rahane revealed that he had to bluff in front of his teammates, the Australian players and the media immediately after assuming leadership from Kohli. Notably, India staged a remarkable turnaround under his captaincy to clinch the four-match series 2-1.
“I remember one thought in my head about when we lost the game in Adelaide, and then everyone started talking about that ‘India will probably lose 4-0’, and ‘there’s no chance for the Indian team’. I was nervous, frankly. I’ll be really honest. But as a sportsman, you get to learn so many things, and the most important learning, and the most important thing for me, was to bluff in front of my teammates, bluff in front of the Aussies, and bluff in front of the media,” Rahane said in a panel discussion for an event named “Beyond Boundaries”.
“I remember talking to my teammates, and I said, ‘Oh, we are the lucky ones to be here representing our country. There are so many guys wanting to play for India, but at times, luck plays a massive part in our careers’. Let’s forget about the result and the outcome; whatever happens, day four, day five, we will take it. I will take all the responsibility, but let’s enjoy the game and play for each other. It was indeed very special, the Australia tour, for everyone, not just for us the players, but also for the whole nation,” he added.
