Sunil Gavaskar slams lack of credit for Ajinkya Rahane: ‘A selfless leader with no enemies’

Cricket great Sunil Gavaskar compared Ajinkya Rahane to Rahul Dravid, saying the ‘selfless’ leader, who led India to an unforgettable and unprecedented Test series win in Australia in 2020/21, didn’t get his credit. Rahane announced his retirement from all forms of the game last week, with several of his teammates, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, paying tribute on social media.

After India were bowled out for 36 in the series opener in Adelaide and eventually lost it by 10 wickets, which was also regular captain Virat Kohli’s last Test on the tour, Rahane led an inexperienced Test team to a shocking 2-1 series win, including winning the famous Gabba Test. With no big names around and trailing 1-0 after the first Test, Rahane’s captaincy scripted history for India.

Comparing his unparalleled feat with those of Dravid’s Test captaincy record, Gavaskar wrote, “His record as a skipper is exceptional, with four wins out of six and no losses. Like Rahul Dravid, who also had some terrific wins under his captaincy but never got the credit he deserved, so also Rahane’s leadership hardly got the applause that it merited.”

Gavaskar didn’t shy away from criticising the fans’ tendency to overlook the captain’s role when the team succeeds.

“This is typical of Indian cricket. When the team wins, all praise goes to the individual achievers, be it batters and bowlers, but when the team loses, the captain and the coach get the blame,” he further wrote.

Looking back at the incredible series of events during that four-match Test series, Gavaskar pointed out how Rahane’s captaincy turned the tables for India, culminating in breaking Australia’s 32-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba.

“After the demoralising collapse of 36 all out in the first Test of the 2021 series Down Under, it was Rahane, along with Ravi Shastri, who picked the team from the dumps. The vice-captain took over a ship that was ready to sink and not only sailed it into calmer waters but also gave India an unprecedented first win at Australia’s fortress ‘The Gabba’ and with it the series victory too,” wrote Gavaskar.

“In fact, in the final Test of the series, when most of the top players were unavailable due to injury, India pulled off one of its greatest victories in Test cricket. It proved once again, if ever it was needed, that nobody is indispensable in this game,” he added.

Gavaskar’s highest praise for Rahane

Gavaskar concluded by lauding Rahane for carrying himself and helping India taste enormous success during his time as a cricketer.

“Rahane leaves the game with his head held high and the sincere thanks of cricket lovers for the totally selfless way he played the game. It’s not of many cricketers that it can be said that they did not have a single enemy in the game. There are perhaps less than a dozen, to the best of my knowledge and experience. Ajinkya Rahane can take his place there with his typical humility,” Gavaskar concluded.