Ajinkya Rahane needs to win games to overcome the 0-1 deficit in the series.
Virat Kohli has left the Australian shores to be with his family and shouldered all the responsibility to the vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane. While the two are very different by nature, which reflects in their game as well, both have been successful as Indian captains.
While Rahane has led the Indian Test team twice, that too both times in India, he will have a tough job in making his first overseas assignment successful.
Former Indian cricketer Murali Kartik has expressed his views on the captaincy of a quiet Ajinkya Rahane and how he will have a different approach in leading the Indian side for the rest of the series.
Kartik told Sony Sports Network, "He has a very quiet nature, so that will be reflected in his captaincy as well. There will not be any overt celebrations and I feel he reads the game well. When we have played Ranji Trophy against him, he is an organized person, that is what you can expect from him."
The former spinner is also excited about the changes that Team India will make for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. While some changes like Kohli or an injured Mohammad Shami are forced ones, it will be interesting to see whether the visitors make changes with respect to form.
AUS v IND 2020-21: Manjrekar puts Rahane under scanner after India's poor collapse in Adelaide
He said, "The interesting thing will be that we have lost the match, Prithvi Shaw has not looked confident in both innings, and on top of that Virat Kohli is not there, so what changes they will make to the team."
"These are the kind of things Ajinkya Rahane will have to think about because confidence has to be infused now. You need to play the players who do not have the baggage, who can help you in making a comeback," Kartik added.
The 44-year-old is aware of how difficult a place Australia is for a subcontinent team to play in. While the Indian team would've found it difficult to save the series, they now have to come up and win at least 2 Tests to be able to win it.
"Australia is a tough place and when you are down, you need to know what sort of players you want and go with them. Their bowlers are on top, they know they can dismiss us, so you need to think about what you can do because you not only have to save the match but win the match if you have to do anything this time.
So, that will be more important for Ajinkya Rahane and the entire team management," Kartik concluded.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)