The trophy, the podium, and captain Rahane: the leader who was overlooked

With the series locked at 1-1, India needed a victory in the fourth Test at Dharamshala in 2017 to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Just before the match, captain Virat Kohli was ruled out with a shoulder injury, paving the way for Kuldeep Yadav to make his Test debut on coach Anil Kumble’s insistence.

Whether stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane was entirely on board with Kuldeep’s inclusion remains unclear. Equally intriguing is what happened after India sealed the series. Although Kohli did not play the decisive Test, it was he who walked up to the podium to receive the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Why Rahane, who captained the side to victory, was not invited to share that moment remains an unanswered question to this day.

What is beyond debate, however, is that Rahane’s leadership was never truly allowed to flourish. Even after Kohli stepped away on different occasions, Rahane was rarely viewed as a long-term captain despite repeatedly proving his credentials. He possessed every quality of a leader, most notably guiding India to one of the greatest Test series triumphs in history by defeating Australia in Australia in 2020-21 in Kohli’s absence. Yet, he never received the recognition his achievements deserved.

Throughout his career, Rahane often found himself battling perceptions rather than being judged purely on performances. MS Dhoni once suggested that he struggled to rotate the strike on Indian pitches in white-ball cricket. The media, too, singled him out after India’s defeat to the West Indies in the semi-final of the 2016 T20 World Cup in Mumbai, accusing him of batting too slowly. Such criticism often overlooked the context.

Rahane carved out a reputation as a cricketer with immense self-respect and an unwavering commitment to the team. Even when Cheteshwar Pujara was anchoring one end and slowing the tempo, it was Rahane who looked to change gears and keep the scoreboard moving. His ability to balance caution with controlled aggression made him a unique batter.

As a captain, Rahane earned the trust and admiration of his teammates because he gave them the freedom to play their natural game. He understood the dressing-room dynamics, never sought the spotlight and always placed the team’s interests above his own. Yet, despite understanding the system inside out and delivering whenever India needed him, Rahane remains one of the most underappreciated captains and cricketers of his generation.

In many ways, Rahane belonged to a rare breed in Indian cricket. Soft-spoken by nature but firm in his principles, he never shied away from making difficult decisions. While captaining Mumbai, he once asked Yashasvi Jaiswal to leave the field over an issue of discipline, underlining that team values always came before individual talent.

At the same time, Rahane never publicly lashed out at anyone. He accepted every setback with remarkable grace and humility. Only once did he speak candidly, questioning why he was never given a consistent run in India’s white-ball setup despite his performances. Beyond that, he chose dignity over confrontation, allowing his cricket to do the talking.

Rahane will always be remembered for his immense contribution to Indian cricket. It is also worth remembering that he was the man who seamlessly took over Sachin Tendulkar’s place in India’s Test batting line-up after the legend’s retirement – a responsibility few would have been capable of shouldering.

For those who have followed Indian cricket closely over the years, Rahane’s career is not one to be measured merely by numbers or headlines. It is one that deserves to be celebrated for its resilience, selflessness and quiet excellence.