When one talks about the Indian Test team, the victory on the Australian soil will always be remembered where after losing the first clash terribly, the side had made a comeback in the second and third. Stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane had led the side and got India to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy in 2020-21.
However, recently Rahane stated that "someone else took the credit" for decisions he had made on the field to resurrect the team after the nightmare of 36 all out in the Adelaide Test.
After India's then regular captain Virat Kohli left the series for the birth of his daughter after the first game, Rahane took over the reins in the most difficult of circumstances.
And soon after, the fate of the Indian team changed as the Men in Blue rebounded to win the second match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) by eight wickets, with Rahane leading from the front with a magnificent hundred. However, now talking in an episode of 'Backstage With Boria', Rahane said all the decisions he took, credit was taken by someone else.
"I know what I've done there. I don't need to tell anyone. That's not my nature to go and take credit. Yes, there were some things that I took the decisions on the field or in the dressing room but someone else took the credit for it. (What was) important for me was that we won the series. That was a historical series and for me, that was really special."
While he did not mention anyone, many believe it was an indirect jibe at the then head coach Ravi Shastri. The former India cricketer was heavily praised for the team's performance and for being the architect of the turnaround.
Rahane too had earned plaudits for the way he had led the heavily injured and depleted team not just at the MCG but through the remainder of the four-match series.
"After that, the reactions from people or those who took credit or what was said on the media, 'I did this' or 'This was my decision', or 'This was my call', it was for them to talk about," Rahane said.
"From my end, I knew what decisions I took on the field and what decisions I took on my instincts. Yes, we talked with the management too but I used to laugh about it, that is what I did on the field, I never talk much about myself or praise myself. But what I did there, I knew."
Meanwhile, Rahane has returned back to Ranji Trophy after suffering a prolonged slump leading India to that historic series win. Last year, he had played 13 Tests but managed only 479 runs at an average of 20.82.
He scored two 50s and some crucial 40s but lacked consistency overall. In South Africa, he scored 136 runs from six innings at a below-par average of 22.67.
However, the middle-order batter remains unruffled by the criticism. "I just smile at it. People who generally know the sport will not talk like that. I don't want to get too deep into that. Everyone knows it, you know it, what happened in Australia," he said.
"Even after and before Australia, the contributions I made, especially in red-ball cricket, I don't want to talk about it but Australia was really. As I said, people who know the sport, love the sport they'll talk sensibly. Yes, I am confident about my own ability, I am batting really well and I believe in my ability. And I still believe I have good cricket left in me," Rahane said.
