Focus is not on me, it is all about the team -Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane said on Friday that his sole focus is on making the Indian team win in the Boxing Day Test. The interim captain remarked that it is a matter of pride for him to be on the helm of the Indian team. He added he will back his teammates and the Indian team before focussing on his own batting.
Ajinkya Rahane is set to play arguably the most important Test matches of his career. Giving Virat Kohli's absence, the onus of both lifting the team's spirit and shrugging off his own poor international form will be on the Indian captain.
"It's a proud moment for me to lead India. It's a great opportunity, responsibility as well. I don't want to take any pressure. What I want to do is back my teammates and my team. As a team, we want to do well so the focus is not on me is all about the team and how we want to do well as a team in Australia," said Ajinkya Rahane.
Ajinkya Rahane averages just over 41 Down Under. He will, however, take motivation from one of his best international knocks of 147 that came at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2014.
"I stay calm and cool but my batting is aggressive" - Ajinkya Rahane
Touching upon the horrid show in Adelaide, Ajinkya Rahane tried to look on the brighter side. He said that the team had one bad session but overall they are playing well.
"We are capable of doing really well. As a team, I believe that we had one bad session but we are playing some good cricket as a bowling unit and also as a batting unit. In the first innings, we batted well. Personally, I stay really calm and cool but my batting is aggressive and my back my instincts. It's all about playing as a team from tomorrow and just giving our best," said Ajinkya Rahane.
On lessons from his captaincy stint against Australia in 2017, Ajinkya Rahane said he has learned the skill of backing his strength and remaining calm. He further shed light on his fielding position set to remain the same, despite his new role as skipper.
"Backing your instincts as a captain, remaining calm under pressure and just backing your own strengths and methods is what I learned from that Test match. I generally stand at gully, even as a captain and you will see me standing there tomorrow as well," the Mumbaiker added.
'Bouncability' will be the keyword for India when they take the field on Saturday. Ajinkya Rahane will go through a litmus test, both as a batsman and a captain.