He also said Rahane may set different benchmarks in the ongoing Test series.
Former India captain and chairman of the selection committee Kris Srikkanth on Friday (December 25) that India's stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane’s calming influence can turn Team India’s fortunes in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Rahane, who is known to be a relaxed and calm person, is set for an uphill task to reverse India’s fortunes in the ongoing Test series after the tourists suffered a massive defeat in the first Day-Night Test in Adelaide and former cricketer feels his that nature could work in India’s favor against Australia.
Ahead of the Boxing Day Test starting December 26 at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Srikkanth has also heaped praise on Rahane, saying the stand-in skipper may set different benchmarks in the ongoing four-match Test series given his proven record in the longest format of the game.
Srikkanth told ANI on Friday: “The new leader Rahane has a proven record in Test matches, like how he led the Indian team in Dharmshala. He has a good record in Test.”
He continued, “As a personality also he has a calming influence on the players, he is not sort of the likes of Virat Kohli who expresses himself in an aggressive mod. Maybe change in fortune with the captain also and if new ideas put he might set the different benchmark in the coming Test match.”
When it comes to his captaincy’s records, Rahane has a perfect record, winning two Tests as captain so far and if he proves his worth, then it would be a good captaincy option for Indian selectors and the Indian cricket team in the near future.
He further opined, “It's too early to say because the track record of Virat is by far one of the best in Indian history as a captain. I won't look at it that way but if Rahane is able to establish himself as a Test match captain in absence of Kohli, I think it gives an option for the Indian selector and Indian team to look at. For me, it's like trying to redeem himself rediscover or extend his Test match career for Rahane because he is the one player who always looked at the challenges and done well in those situations.”
On India’s lowest-ever Test totals (36 in Adelaide), the commentator said: “As a cricketer and having played for India and having followed Indian cricket so closely, seeing the lowest score was a shocking thing and whole cricketing world stood up and said it's something not looking good from an Indian team perspective because 42 was first time lowest score we made in 1975 (1974).”
Srikkanth signed off by saying, “I personally feel it's like a nightmare…concerned staff around Indian team preparing that how they need to prepare for the next Test.”
(With ANI Inputs)