IND v AUS 2020: Ajinkya Rahane Test captaincy record and career stats

After a morale-shattering defeat in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval, the IND v AUS action will move to Melbourne this week.

Skipper Virat Kohli will take no further part in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and is set to return home on paternal leave. In his absence, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will lead the Indian cricket team.

Rahane has been the deputy to Kohli for a long time. The middle-order batsman has led the Indian cricket team in two Test matches. Incidentally, the 32-year-old made his Test captaincy debut against Australia in 2017.

Rahane got the opportunity as Virat Kohli picked up an injury during the series. He was assigned the team's reins for the final Test.

Ravindra Jadeja starred for the Indian cricket team in that particular encounter at Dharamsala. The Indian all-rounder scored 63 runs and scalped four wickets to help India win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Ajinkya Rahane made some bold calls in that match, one of which was including Kuldeep Yadav in Virat Kohli's place. The decision paid off as Kuldeep took four wickets in the Test.

In 2018, Ajinkya Rahane captained the Indian cricket team in a historic Test match against Afghanistan. Unsurprisingly, the minnows did not trouble the home team much as India won the Test in Bengaluru by an innings and 262 runs.

---

Ajinkya Rahane Test captaincy record

As mentioned earlier, Rahane has captained the Indian cricket team twice in Tests, winning both games. However, he has never led the team outside India in Tests.

Played - 2, Won - 2, Lost - 0, Drawn - 0, Win Record - 100%

---

Ajinkya Rahane career stats

34th century in first-class cricket for Ajinkya Rahane but his first while playing as a captain. #AUSAvINDA

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) December 6, 2020

Ajinkya Rahane has played 66 Test matches for the Indian cricket team, aggregating 4,245 runs at an average of 42.45. He has registered 11 centuries and 22 fifties.

Recently, Rahane recorded his maiden first-class ton as captain in the first practice match against Australia 'A'. He has also captained India in T20Is, winning one out of two matches.