Former Indian cricketer and a legend of the game, Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday backed stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane to help India script a comeback in the Border-Gavaskar series in the absence of Virat Kohli. Sachin further opined Rahane too can carry an aggressive self on the field like Kohli.
Rahane will lead Team India in the last three Tests as Kohli has left for home on paternity leave. Rahane has previously led India in two Tests - against Australia in 2017 at home and in the historic one-off game against Afghanistan in Bengaluru. India won both those matches.
"Ajinkya has led India earlier also, and his calmness doesn’t mean he is not aggressive. Each person has his way of showing aggression. Someone who doesn’t show aggression doesn't mean he's not aggressive. (Cheteshwar) Pujara, for example, is very calm and composed; his body language is into the game, focussed. But that doesn't mean that Pujara is trying any less than anyone else," Sachin was quoted as saying in Business Standard.
"Each person has his own way of reacting and responding to situations, but I can assure you everyone’s destination is one; they’ve different routes to get there — and that is how they can make India win. So, Ajinkya’s would be a different style, different strategies. That is up to the team management — how they plan, how the pitch plays, and what our batting and bowling line-ups would be," he added.
India lost the opener in Adelaide by eight wickets following a horrifying collpase on day 3 of the pink-ball game. The visitors hence have a daunting task of recovering with even Mohammed Shami out with an injury.
