Ajinkya Rahane all set to have his name engraved in the MCG Honours Board

Ajinkya Rahane is only the second Indian to make it to the MCG Honours Board twice

Ajinkya Rahane will find his name on the MCG Honours Board for the second time in his 7-year Test career.

Rahane led from the front to put India in command on Day Two of the Boxing Day Test against Australia, registering his 12th Test hundred. During the knock, he went past Virat Kohli among the Indian batsmen with the most runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Thanks to Rahane’s brilliance, India are in a comfortable position at 277 for 5 - a significant lead of 82 runs. Ajinkya Rahane hit 12 fours in his knock.

The MCG Honours Board

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of Australia's premier sporting venues. For over 100 years, it has played host to many of the country's biggest cricket matches and many other significant sporting contests like the 1956 Olympic Games. Popularly known as the 'G', the MCG has its own Honors Board to incentivise players to excel at the grand venue.

Besides thrilling the crowd and performing well for their country, players can earn themselves a lasting place in the history of The People’s Ground - alongside some of the greatest players ever to have played the game.

Ajinkya Rahane all set to enter the MCG Honours Board for the second time

Following a fantastic, well-poised century during the third day of the ongoing Boxing Day Test, India's stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane has earned himself a well deserved spot in the MCG Honours Board for the second time in his 7-year long Test career. Rahane's previous century at the MCG came back in December 2014, when the batsman scored a well balanced 147 against the Aussies.

Here's a look at the MCG Honours Board where Rahane's name is set to be engraved:

The MCG Honours Board (Credits: BCCI)

Criteria for a player's name to be engraved on the Honours Board

Scoring a century or taking five wickets in an innings. This ensures a player's name gets added to the honour boards in the cricket dressing rooms.

These boards, in the 'home' and 'away' dressing rooms, provide a permanent reminder of the best batting and bowling performances in the long history of the MCG.

Who are the other Indians on the MCG Honours Board?

The 8 Indians who have gotten their names engraved in the MCG Honours Board for Test centuries till date include:

Vinoo Mankad

Sunil Gavaskar

Gundappa Renganath Viswanath

Sachin Tendulkar

Virender Sehwag

Ajinkya Rahane

Virat Kohli

Cheteshwar Pujara

Ajinkya Rahane will be the second Indian player to have his name engraved for the second time. The only other Indian to have achieved this player in the past was Vinoo Mankad.