Ajinkya Rahane will feel a lot more secure and in control of situations as the captain, reckons Sunil Gavaskar

India created history last time they visited Australia by claiming their first Test series victory on Australian soil. But, this time they will be without skipper Virat Kohli in the last three Tests, which will definitely put extra pressure on the Indian batting lineup. In Kohli’s absence, Ajinkya Rahane is expected to lead the side, who himself did not have a great outing down under last time, scoring just 217 runs in 7 innings. 

However, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar reckoned that captaining the side in Kohli’s absence will give Ajinkya Rahane a sense of security and will help him perform better. 

“It’s going to be tough for Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Both these players have to bat out of their skin. Captaincy will actually help Rahane. He will feel a lot more secure and in control of situations. The selection committee is clear about who should lead in Virat’s absence and he has done well as a Test captain,” Gavaskar said as quoted by TOI. 

Highlighting India’s victories in Kohli’s absence, Gavaskar pointed out that the regular captain’s absence is not a sign of worry as the team has always done well whenever Kohli has taken a break. He insisted that the team tends to raise its game in Kohli’s absence. 

“If you actually have a look, India have won every time Virat wasn’t there, be it the Dharamshala Test against Australia, the Afghanistan Test, Nidahas Trophy or the Asia Cup in 2018. Indian players do tend to raise their game when he is not around. They understand they have to make up for his absence,” he said. 

A lack of continuity has been a major problem with the Indian team, where the team gets changed quite often without giving a player a longer rope to justify his talent. Gavaskar added that there should be a balance while changing the team to help players perform better. 

“I don’t know what the current players will be thinking about continuity. Sometimes continuity can make players complacent. Some players get nervous when there are changes made every after game. A balance has to be struck,” he added.