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Ajinkya Rahane scores first century by an Indian captain at the MCG in 21-years as fans turn on Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli isn't even in Australia any more but a stunning masterclass from the stand in captain has turned the heat on the Indian superstar.

James Matthey, James McKern and Andrew McMurtry
3 min read
December 27, 2020 - 6:29PM
Ajinkya Rahane's spectacular century has seen fans turn on Virat Kohli.
Ajinkya Rahane's spectacular century has seen fans turn on Virat Kohli.

Day two of the Boxing Day Test has been all about Ajinkya Rahane as India's stand-in captain claimed a sensational century to put Australia to the sword.

Rahane made Australia pay as he cashed in on a sensational century, becoming the first Indian captain since Sachin Tendulkar in 1999 to score a century at the MCG as well as the first visiting captain to achieve the feat since Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf's 111 in 2004.

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Shane Warne was full of praise as Rahane became just the second Indian to score two centuries at the MCG, joining Vinoo Mankad.

"As far as hundreds go, they all just say one in the hundreds column but some are better than others," Warne said. "That will go down as one of the all-time great hundreds by Ajinkya Rahane given the conditions, given the situation of the game, given the quality of bowling, given the way the pitch has nipped around, put all those in the mix, that's where the stats don't tell you."

It has been an incredible turnaround by the Indians, who were bowled out in the last Test for just 36 with captain Virat Kohli leaving Australia to be at the birth of his first child.

Scoring his 12th Test century, Rahane has stood up for India with some fans questioning whether Rahane's captaincy move should be made permanent.

Ajinkya Rahane's ton will got down in Boxing Day folklore.
Ajinkya Rahane's ton will got down in Boxing Day folklore.

While Kohli is seen as an aggressive and somewhat abrasive captain, having famously been locked in a bitter battle with Aussie skipper Tim Paine last time around, Rahane spent the first day keeping his players calm.

As animated bowlers ran up to him begging for a review, he turned them down and weighed the pros and cons of each call.

His moves in the field and with the ball were heavily praised as India restricted Australia to just 195.

Former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting was one who praised his day one effort.

"(Rahane's captaincy) has been brilliant so far," Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"We were all a bit worried about how they were going to pick themselves up after Adelaide. I think they looked potentially better today (under Rahane’s leadership). Rahane's field placements, bowling changes have all been pretty much spot on."

Rahane was then a rock with the bat in hand, sharing in two 50 run stands and a 100-run stand on day two as India raced past Australia's total, taking a lead of 82 runs with five wickets in hand.

One social media fan pointed out the last time India had 50-run starnds for the fourth, fifth and sixth wickets in a match against the SENA countries of South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia was in 2009. SENA is seen as a yardstick for subcontinent batsmen due to the vastly different pitches.

Rahane was involved in three of the four stands and the sixth wicket stand with Ravindra Jadeja wend for more than 100, the first sixth wicket stand to pass triple figures at a Boxing Day Test.

Adam Gilchrist said "it had been a day of frustration for the Australians", which may be an understatement.

Australia saw catches dropped by Tim Paine, Cameron Green and Steve Smith with Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and Rahane all given lives.

Steve Smith put a hot chance down.
Steve Smith put a hot chance down.

Rahane went on to bring up the three figures, piling on the hurt after Smith's dropped catch on 73.

Rahane was given another life on 104 when Travis Head caught a ball at point but the ball spilled out when his elbow hit the ground, a moment that turned out to be the final moment before stumps as the covers were brought onto the field.

But while Kohli is back in India waiting for the birth of his first child, fans were quick to turn on the Indian skipper, calling for a change.

Kohli's captaincy was questioned throughout the series so far after two big losses in the first two ODI matches.

Kohli was then slammed again earlier this week after Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar called out the decision for Kohli to leave when Thangarasu Natarajan has yet to meet his daughter despite being a net bowler for India at the moment.

Updates

India piles on in 21-year Aussie disaster

Day two of the Boxing Day Test has been all about Ajinkya Rahane as India's stand-in captain claimed a sensational century to put Australia to the sword.
Rahane made Australia pay as he cashed in on a sensational century, becoming the first Indian captain since Sachin Tendulkar in 1999 to score a century at the MCG as well as the first visiting captain to achieve the feat since Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf's 111 in 2004.

Aussie nightmare gets so much worse

India have piled on the pain after Australia was reminded of the old adage that catches win matches.

With the new ball in the 80th over, Mitchell Starc was given the new rock and the third ball saw Ravindra Jadeja get a life after bunting a wide ball to Smith.

But it flew fast to the Aussie superstar and although he's one of the safest hands in world cricket, the ball went to ground.

"Just burst through his hands Steven Smith," Brett Lee said. "I reckon it's got to him too quick but because of the shot, it looks like a bump ball but it definitely wasn't. Another catch goes begging."

Rahane leading from the front

Ajinkya Rahane is piling on the runs for India, with Australia deep in a hole.

He and Ravindra Jadeja have combined for a fifty run stand.

It's the third 50-run partnership he's been involved in so far this match and India have pushed well past the Aussies score.

This is looking ominous for the Aussies but brilliant for the Indians.

Play stopped early as rain falls

Just three balls shy of the tea break, the heavens opened and the rain came tumbling down over the MCG. Stopping play early.

After a hard fought opening session to day two, the tourists took control during the second session to close within 6 runs of Australia's first innings total.

With skipper Ajinkya Rahane at the crease to open the session he battled through the entire session, bringing up his half century prior to tea.

The Aussies claimed two wickets with Nathan Lyon removing Hanuma Vihari and Mitchell Starc sending Rishabh Pant.

Despite the same number of wickets falling in the second session as did in the opener, the Indians piled on the runs as the Aussie frustrations began to grow.

Starc sends Pant on his way

Mitchell Starc has removed the dangerous Rishabh Pant after the wicketkeeper made a dazzling 29 runs from 40 deliveries.

The breakthrough is a big win for the Aussies as Indian move to within less than 30 runs of their first innings total.

Pant will be left kicking himself after a wild slash at a ball outside of off stump caught the edge and sailed through to Tim Paine.

For Starc it becomes Test wicket number 250 and makes him the fastest Aussie quick bowler in terms of balls bowled, according to Cricbuzz.

Star took 11,976 deliveries to register his 250th wicket with Mitchell Johnson second at 12,578 deliveries.

Rahane and Pant angering Aussies

After an arm-wrestle of an opening session, it's been India who have taken control after lunch.

The Aussies struck back by removing Hanuma Vihari, but that only brought out Rishabh Pant to the crease.

Partnering up with stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rihane, the pair have ticked the board over as they move to within less than 50 runs of Australia's first innings total.

The tension in the middle of the MCG has picked up since Pant walked out as the two teams continue to deliver some verbal barbs.

Lyon gets the breakthrough

Nathan Lyon has taken a big scalp of Hanuma Vihari after he and stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane had just brought up their fifty-run partnership.

The duo continued to tick the scoreboard over in the middle session of the day, but it was Lyon who pounced.

A brilliant delivery from Lyon tempted Vihari into an audacious sweep attempt only for it to sky over his head off a top edge and land comfortably in the hands of Steve Smith.

What a day two opening

The second Test is hanging in the balance after a stellar opening to the action on day two.

India entered the day at 1-36 with debutant Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara at the crease.

Australian bowlers applied the pressure from the outset, but the duo fought through and began to tick the scoreboard over.

Enter Pat Cummins.

The world's number one Test bowler put on an eight-over masterclass and cleaned up the pair to swing the momentum back in favour of the Aussies.

Stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari made it through to the lunch break as they look to chase down the Aussies' 195 first innings total.

Cummins breaks through, Paine's awesome redemption

Pat Cummins got a deserved wicket when Shubman Gill played an expansive cover drive, only to edge behind to Tim Paine for 45.

Up until that point, Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara had done well to keep the Aussies at bay as Cummins and Josh Hazlewood delivered an excellent display of fast bowling in the opening hour, regularly hitting a good length around off stump.

Both batsmen had survived some close calls and a dropped catch before Cummins was rewarded with the scalp of Gill.

Paine dropped Gill earlier in the day but redeemed himself with an absolute screamer to help Cummins take wicket number two.

The lion-hearted quick found the outside edge of Pujara and Paine dived full stretch to his right, pocketing the ball just above the turf.

Jack Mendel called it an "incredible grab" on Twitter.

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