Melbourne: Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting feels Ajinkya Rahane has done a great job for India “to pick up the pieces” from the Adelaide debacle with a captain’s knock on the second day of the Boxing Day Test here on Sunday.
Rahane, who was praised for his captaincy acumen in Australia’s 195 all out on the first day on Saturday, remained not out on 104 to put India in the driver’s seat.
“I think he’s done a great job to pick up the pieces from Adelaide with this team, lead really well in the field yesterday and you can see he’s playing like a captain now as well,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.
“He wants to play that captain’s knock; he wants to get a hundred in Virat’s (Kohli) absence and do the best thing he can to try and drag his country and his team back into this series.”
Rahane’s century gave India a lead of 82 runs at the end of second day’s play on Sunday with the visitors on 277 for 5. He was dropped by Steve Smith at second slip when on 73 and then by Travis Head from the final ball of the day—all off Mitchell Starc’s bowling.
Those reprieves aside, the right-hander was judicious with his stroke play on a wicket that has assisted spin and seam bowling.
And while he struck 12 boundaries, it’s Rahane’s defence that stood out to Ponting.