India vs Australia: Ajinkya Rahane matches MS Dhoni’s record after Melbourne win


India vs Australia: Ajinkya Rahane matches MS Dhoni’s record after Melbourne win
India celebrate a wicket

India clinched a series-levelling win against Australia in the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to put behind the debacle at the Adelaide Oval behind them. Without their skipper Virat Kohli and ace pacer Mohammed Shami, India put on a clinical performance to outplay the Australians and secure a facile win on Day 4.

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Batting first, Australia were bowled out for 195 thanks in large to Jasprit Bumrah‘s four-wicket haul and Ravichandran Ashwin‘s three wickets. In reply, India got 326 thanks to Ajinkya Rahane‘s commanding century. The Indian bowlers then produced another scintillating performance to bowl out the Aussies for 200 which left them with a target of 70 to chase and the same was done without breaking a sweat.

Rahane matches MS Dhoni and MCG – India’s favorite overseas Test venue?

Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane was given the huge task of leading the Indian side in the absence of Virat Kohli even as he was looking to regain his batting form. He proved to be more than up to the task with some terrific field placements and bowling changes while also scoring a fantastic hundred in the first innings and an assured 27* in the second innings.

This was just Rahane’s third match as India captain and the 32-year-old has come up trumps in all three (the first was against Australia in Dharamsala and the second was against Afghanistan in Bengaluru) thereby matching MS Dhoni‘s record of winning his first three Tests as captain. No other Indian captain has done so other than the aforementioned two.

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Further, India’s win at the MCG today was their fourth at the venue. Interestingly, India haven’t won more than 3 matches in any other overseas venue. They have won three apiece at the Queen’s Park Oval, Sabina Park and SSC Stadium (the first two are in West Indies while the third is in Sri Lanka). This fourth win at the MCG will without a doubt, be cherished for long especially after what happened at Adelaide.

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