Ajinkya Rahane has revealed that Australia deliberately targets the captain of the opposition team as their first move to break a side under pressure. The recently retired Indian cricketer said the Australians know that once the captain crumbles, the rest of the team follows.
“Typical Australians, you know, they will they like to target the captains of the opposition team. That’s the first thing was once the captain crumbles, they know the team will probably crumble under pressure.”
Ajinkya Rahane, Stick to Cricket podcast, August 5, 2026
Rahane made these remarks on the Stick to Cricket podcast, hosted by Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, David Lloyd and Phil Tufnell. The episode, released on August 5, covered his partnership with Virat Kohli, India’s Test problems and his career highlights, including his Lord’s century. Rahane retired from all formats of cricket on July 30, 2026, ending a career that spanned 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is.
His comments carry weight because he is the captain who faced this tactic and did not break. After India were bowled out for 36 in Adelaide in December 2020 and Virat Kohli left for paternity leave, Rahane took over a depleted side in the worst possible circumstances. He responded with a century at Melbourne, led India to a draw in Sydney despite heavy sledging from Tim Paine, and oversaw the famous chase of 328 at the Gabba to win the series 2-1.
Former Australia spinner Kerry O’Keeffe confirmed the same pattern after the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Speaking to foxsports.com.au in January 2025, he listed the opposition captains Australia had broken down in recent series.
“They couldn’t get Ajinkya Rahane the last time and he won the series. But if you look at the captains they’ve brought down in recent times, Sharma. Tick. Shan Masood with Pakistan. It was three-nil. Kraigg Brathwaite, it was one-all, but they were on top of Kraigg. They went to New Zealand and brought down Tim Southee, winning two-nil.”
Kerry O’Keeffe, foxsports.com.au, January 2025
Rohit Sharma scored just 31 runs at an average of 6.20 in the 2024-25 series before withdrawing from the final Test. O’Keeffe noted that Australia’s approach is to “break the skipper and make him anonymous” because it “empowers them.”
Rahane is the exception on that list. Australia could not get to him in 2020-21, and that failure cost them the series.
Insider Read:
Sledging is a part of cricket. Players and captains use it to disturb concentration, to break the rhythm of a batter who is settling in or a captain who is trying to control the game. It is not random noise. It is targeted pressure, and every professional cricketer knows it.
What made Rahane difficult for Australia was that he gave them nothing to work with. Kohli thrived on verbal battles. He fed off confrontation and turned aggression into runs. Rahane confirmed this dynamic on the podcast.
“Virat was the guy who always liked people who were coming after him, and then I told him whenever they used to ask me what do you think about should I sledge him back, I said yeah if that works for you go for it and vice versa.”
Ajinkya Rahane, Stick to Cricket podcast, August 5, 2026
Both approaches worked, but against Australia’s captain-targeting strategy, they demanded different responses from the Australians. When Kohli was captain, they could engage him. The verbal battle became a contest within a contest. When Rahane took over, there was no battle to be had. Silence is harder to sledge than aggression. A captain who does not react forces the sledging side to question whether their tactic is working at all.
That is the difference Rahane made in 2020-21. Not just with runs or field placements, but by removing the psychological foothold Australia relies on when they target the opposition captain.
How Rahane Responded to Australia’s Captain-Targeting Strategy
After winning the Melbourne Test with that century, Rahane was offered a kangaroo-shaped cake to cut in celebration. He refused.
“Kangaroo is their national animal. I don’t want to do that. You give your opposition respect, you treat them well, even if you win or even if you create history.”
Ajinkya Rahane, post-series interview, January 2021
In Sydney, when Tim Paine launched a sustained sledging attack on Ravichandran Ashwin during the drawn third Test, Rahane did not escalate. He said these things happen on the field and he had no issue as long as they stayed there. Paine later apologised for his conduct.
The pattern held across the series. Australia tried to target the captain. The captain did not respond. India won.
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Rahane announced his retirement from all formats on July 30, 2026, through a video on his verified Instagram account. His Test captaincy record stands at 4 wins and 2 draws with no defeats, the best win percentage of any Indian captain with at least five matches in charge.
Sources:
[Stick to Cricket podcast, Episode 56, August 5, 2026]
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