India skipper Virat Kohli said on Tuesday that his relationship with his deputy Ajinkya Rahane is based a lot on mutual respect and trust and that he is really happy with the way Rahane led the Indian team in his absence in Australia.
Rahane beat all odds to lead an injury-ravaged Indian team to a 2-1 series win Down Under. Nobody gave India a chance to win even one Test after Virat Kohli flew back home for the birth of his first child. But Rahane made it possible with his astute leadership skills and players who backed him till the hilt.
“Not just Jinks and me, the camaraderie of the whole team is based on trust and all of us are working towards only one goal and that is to see India win,” Kohli said during a virtual media interaction ahead of the first Test against England.
“I would like to mention, he fulfilled his responsibility in Australia with flying colours, it was amazing to see him lead the team towards victory, which has always been our goal,” he added.
Kohli also thinks that his bonding with Rahane off the field also helps in their on-field relationship.
“Me and Jinks, we have always enjoyed batting with each other. It’s quite evident on the field that we share mutual respect. There is bonding off the field also. We do chat a lot, stay in touch and it’s a relationship based on trust.”
In fact, Rahane’s advice is something the skipper always looks forward to during a critical situation in a match. He admitted that there have been several times when he went up to Rahane himself to seek his advice.
“He has always been someone who has had the capability and capacity to give inputs at different stages, and we do have discussions on the field towards where the game is heading.”
“I go and discuss a lot of things with him to get more clarity and perspective other than me focussing on team plans. That’s how we work together. That’s the massive reason for the success of Indian team in Test format.
“That partnership will be the same as it has been, mindset for me, him and everyone remains to take Indian cricket forward,” the skipper said.
