The gritty hundred from stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne against a high-quality Australian bowling unit will go down among the most important knocks played in India's cricket history, believes former skipper and batting maestro, Sunil Gavaskar.
Gavaskar was all praise for Rahane's defiant knock of 112 which helped India overtake Australia's modest first-innings total of 195 and pushed the side towards a series-levelling victory.
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The right-hand batsman showed admirable resolve in the toughest of situations and also the pressure he was carrying on him, with people scrutinising his place in the side, especially after the Adelaide Test where he was criticised heavily for the run-out involving captain Virat Kohli.
"I believe that this hundred is going to be one of the most important hundreds in the history of Indian cricket," Gavaskar, who is there in Australia to do broadcasting work, told the '7 Network'.
"Important because it's showing character, sending a message to the opposition that after being dismissed for 36 in the previous game, to come back in this manner, this Indian team is not going to just lie down and be walked all over."
"That is the message and that's why I think this is going to be one of the most important hundreds in the history of Indian cricket."
At the end of Day 2 which Rahane had batted through at 104 not out, debutant teammate Shubman Gill said seeing the man play out "tough periods" was an educative experience for him.
"This knock was all about timing and patience," Gill said at the post-day press conference. "Importantly, sometimes against a high-quality bowling attack you go into your shell and then you're not able to score runs."
"But the way Rahane played, it was such a magnificent knock (to watch) from outside."
"Those tough periods, he saw off those tough periods, and then with the loose balls he was making sure he put all of them away."
(Inputs from AAP)
