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India’s stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane on Friday shared the message common skipper Virat Kohli gave the Indian staff earlier than he left for India on a paternity go away. Rahane mentioned Kohli urged him to to be himself and play fearless cricket. “Yeah, Virat spoke to all of us, before leaving. We had our team dinner in Adelaide, so he spoke to all of us about staying in the moment, playing for each other and yeah enjoying each other’s success and help each other out on the field,” Rahane mentioned on the eve of the second Test in Melbourne.
.@ajinkyarahane88 on @imVkohli‘s message for #TeamIndia earlier than his departure. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/nui9nKZvU6
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 25, 2020
Rahane mentioned he would somewhat give attention to his staff than worrying about Australia’s “mind games” forward of the ‘Boxing Day’ Test beginning on Saturday.
Australia coach Justin Langer had on Thursday mentioned he can be “happy” if the Indian staff is beneath a little bit of stress after the humiliating defeat within the first Test, and want to put strain on Rahane, who’s taking cost in absence of standard skipper Virat Kohli.
“Australians are very good at playing mind games and I will let them do that. We are focussing on ourselves, what we want to do as a unit and we are going to back our every individuals,” Rahane mentioned.
Rahane mentioned one hour of poor cricket on the third morning in Adelaide would not outline this staff.
“Talking about last Test match, see comparatively we had two good days, just one bad hour, where we actually lost it completely,” he mentioned.
“The chat was all about backing ourself as an individual and as team, play to our strengths and whatever we have planned in the first Test match just stick to that.”
Young opener Shubman Gill will make his debut within the second Test, and Rahane mentioned he needs to present him and Mayank Agarwal freedom and never put them beneath undue strain.
Mohammed Siraj will make his debut on Saturday and Rahane termed him “equally talented” as Gill, despite the fact that he did not identify him because the interplay with media occurred earlier than India launched their taking part in XI.
Rahane expects Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav to type a formidable partnership as he guides the unit from gully, the place he will likely be stationed.
“Apart from Jasprit, Umesh (Yadav) and the guy (Siraj) who will play instead of (Mohammed) Shami tomorrow, they are also equally talented,” Rahane mentioned.
“Umesh has been doing really well for so many years, so it is all about bowling in partnerships for us.”
So any particular areas that the batsmen labored on?
“Nothing really special, we have to back our basics, back our plans, as I said earlier, we just had one bad hour, so it is all about staying positive, backing your own ability and batting in partnerships,” Rahane mentioned.
India have gained three Tests within the final 73 years on the MCG and Rahane reckons the wicket will likely be a bit completely different this time.
“See generally MCG is … 2018 was slightly different wicket, but generally when we played here in 2014 and the other teams when they played here, it is actually a very good wicket, plays really well,” Rahane mentioned.
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It’s doable that there might be activate supply as India have two spinners on board.
“Tomorrow will be different. We don’t know that, we have to go and see and adapt to the wicket as quick as possible,” the skipper mentioned.
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