Shastri hails India’s Melbourne comeback, lauds Rahane

TIL Desk Sports/ India coach Ravi Shastri described his team’s eight-wicket victory in the Boxing Day Test against Australia as one of the great Test comebacks in the game’s history and lauded stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane for masterminding it.

Under Rahane, India showed great resilience after being thrashed inside three days in the series opener in Adelaide where they registered their lowest innings total of 36. Despite missing regular skipper Virat Kohli, who is on paternity leave, and injured quick Mohammed Shami, the tourists levelled the four-Test series 1-1 with Rahane leading by example with a sparkling century.

“I think this will go down in the annals of Indian cricket, world cricket, as one of the great comebacks in the history of the game,” Shastri told a video conference on Tuesday. “To be rolled over for 36, and then three days later, to get up and be ready to punch was outstanding. “The boys deserve all the credit for the character they showed, real character.”