Ajinkya Rahane, one of the most reserved players in Indian cricket, recently concluded his career. Following this, former Indian great Sunil Gavaskar highly praised his contribution.
In his column published midday, Sunil Gavaskar stated that Ajinkya Rahane never received the deserved recognition for what he did for the Indian team as a captain and player. He compared Rahane to the great batsman Rahul Dravid and raised a serious question about the culture of Indian cricket.
Gavaskar noted that Rahane's record as a Test captain was impressive: he led six matches, winning four and losing none. Nevertheless, his leadership did not receive the praise it deserved.
Gavaskar mentioned that, similar to Rahul Dravid, who achieved many brilliant victories under his leadership but did not receive due reward, Rahane's leadership also never received proper applause. In his opinion, this is a characteristic of Indian cricket: when the team wins, the credit goes to the players who demonstrate individual achievements, whereas in case of defeat, all the blame is placed on the captain and coach.
Recalling the tour of Australia in 2020-21, Gavaskar recounted how Rahane took charge after the team failed, scoring only 36 runs in Adelaide. After returning to India due to Virat Kohli's first child's birth, Rahane assumed captaincy duties and laid the foundation for the team's return, scoring a magnificent century in Melbourne. Despite injuries to many senior players, Rahane inspired young athletes and led India to a memorable 2-1 series victory in the impregnable fortress of Australia—the 'Gabba'.
Furthermore, Gavaskar wrote that Rahane is one of those players who never had an enemy throughout his career. He leaves cricket with his head held high. Perhaps there are fewer than ten or twelve such players in the world who have not created enemies in their careers.
