Melbourne [Australia], December 27 (ANI): Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting feels that Virat Kohli will probably be India’s captain for “so long as he needs to”.
Kohli returned dwelling after the primary Check towards Australia. BCCI had granted the India skipper paternity go away as he and his spouse Anushka Sharma expect the start of their first baby.
In Kohli’s absence, Ajinkya Rahane is performing the duties of stand-in captain within the ongoing second Check on the Melbourne Cricket Floor. India are at a dominating place within the Boxing Day Check after a humiliating eight-wicket defeat within the first Check at Adelaide Oval.
At stumps on day two, the guests’ rating learn 277/5 and aspect has taken a lead of 82 runs over Australia. The hosts might need scalped wickets of India’s top-order, however within the ultimate session, Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja confirmed grit and willpower to present India agency management of the match. Rahane and Jadeja have placed on an unbeaten stand of 104 runs for the sixth wicket.
“I believe he is carried out an awesome job to choose up the items from Adelaide with this group, lead very well within the discipline yesterday and you’ll see he is enjoying like a captain now as effectively,” cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.
“He needs to play that captain’s knock; he needs to get 100 in Virat’s absence and do one of the best factor he can to attempt to drag his nation and his group again into this collection. Virat will probably be captain of India so long as he needs to, but when he thinks standing down goes to make him a good higher participant, then that is a scary factor for world cricket,” he added.
Rahane and Jadeja are presently unbeaten on 104 and 40 respectively for India within the first innings and they’re going to resume the proceedings for the guests on day three of the second Check.
That is Rahane’s eighth Check ton abroad and that is the primary hundred as captain of Workforce India. With this knock, Rahane additionally turned the second Indian batsman to attain a century on his first match as captain in Australia. Kohli was the primary one to attain the feat in 2014 when he registered a century in Adelaide.
Former World-Cup successful skipper additional lauded Rahane’s captaincy and the way in which he took the group after the pink-ball Check debacle.
“I am not doubting Kohli’s captaincy expertise or credentials in any respect, I am simply saying it will take one thing particular to choose up the items and Rahane’s been in a position to do this up to now. I do not suppose there will be stress from wherever else for Kohli to do this however let’s wait and see. He is virtually performed a (Cheteshwar) Pujara-like innings,” Ponting stated.
“No thrills, he is hit only a few boundaries however he is simply regularly backing his defence and making an attempt to put on the Australian bowlers down. I believe the Australians have not made him cowl drive sufficient. I believe they have been a bit of bit quick and so they’ve plugged that cowl area,” he added.
On day one of many second Check, India had bundled out Australia for 195 as Jasprit Bumrah scalped 4 wickets whereas Ravichandran Ashwin took three wickets. (ANI)
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