India's stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane impressed the India great Sunil Gavaskar with his innings on the second day of the Boxing Day Test. He smashed an unbeaten 104* runs to help India take a lead of 82 runs till the stumps of day two.
Rahane put up a crucial 100-run unbeaten stand with Ravindra Jadeja to counter-attack. After the loss of Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill in the first session, India needed their captain to step up and he didn't disappoint.
Gavaskar, the commentator in Border-Gavaskar Trophy, was all praise for Rahane. "It was a typical Test match century and a typical captain's innings, showing from the front how to play on a pitch which was never easy to bat on. This is a kind of a pitch where no batsman can say he is well set."
"There is something or the other happening, there is a lit bit of carry, the odd ball has kept low, there has been turn for Nathan Lyon. So, no batsman can tell to himself even if he is batting on 60-70 that he is well set and he can go on to get runs. Pujara fell after Ajinkya Rahane came to bat. Vihari and he were new," Gavaskar told on Sony Sports Network post Day 2 stumps.
Rishabh Pant was dismissed after scoring 29 runs, but it was a good knock in the context of the match. "Pant's batting took the momentum away from Australia. His impatience cost him his wicket, else he could have scored another 80 odd today. Rahane's innings was fantastic, a typical captain's innings," he said.
(Quotes from Sony Sports Network)
