When skipper Virat Kohli returns home on paternity leave after Adelaide's D/N series opener, India's leadership duties will lay with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane for the last three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
While that's a huge responsibility and an honour to lead the country on such a marquee tour abroad, Rahane personally isn't looking that far ahead. The middle-order batting mainstay said he is just focused on his preparations ahead of the first Test starting Thursday (December 17).
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"I believe staying in the moment and present. Right now, Virat is our captain. We think about this Test match and then after that when he leaves, we will think. So for me, it is about this Test match, helping Virat out and then taking it forward," said Rahane during a virtual media conference on Tuesday (December 15), as quoted by IANS.
On plans around tackling the pink-ball, Rahane believes communication between batsmen will be really important because the ball tends to behave differently in the day and under lights.
"Definitely it is a challenge. The ball behaves differently during the day and behaves differently once the lights are on. So as a batsman I think focus will be the key. As long as you can focus as a batsman, communication will be the key among the two batters."
"Batting in the twilight period, those 40-50 minutes will be the key. If you bat well in that situation it will be good. Overall it was a good outing in the day-night warm-up (at the Sydney Cricket Ground). Start will be the key in the Test."
The Indian team have played only one previous D/N Test when they defeated Bangladesh comprehensively in Kolkata last November.
"I think the pink ball is tough to bat initially but then it becomes easy. It moves in the twilight period that comes for 40-50 minutes in the middle," said Rahane. "So it is challenging (then) to focus on the game, when the lights are on in twilight period as the pace increases. So if you adjust a bit...the coming time is easy.
"With the red ball, we play the entire day but the pace doesn't change. However with pink ball, within 40-50 minutes, the pace changes completely with pink ball and we have to adjust there."
Despite the massive challenge, however, the Indians will carry a sense of confidence with them keeping in mind the last tour's success. Kohli's men rewrote history books by becoming the first Asian side till date to win a Test series down under.
"When we came here last time, the wickets were very challenging. Adelaide on the first day. The Perth wicket was really challenging. But we adjusted to them really well."
"As a batting unit, we can adapt to any situation or condition really well. We are not worried about short balls. We are thinking about playing to situations, batting is all about partnerships...about getting mindset right," Rahane said.
