Chennai: India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who led India to win in two of the last three Tests against Australia in India’s landmark series win Down Under, says he is happy to take a backseat and contribute as vice-captain by offering suggestions when asked by skipper Virat Kohli.
Kohli, who missed the last three Tests in Australia for the birth of his child, will lead India in the first Test against England that begins on February 5.
“My job is to take a backseat and try and help Virat as captain. There are too many things on captain’s mind so as a vice-captain, you have to visualise situations, think about what can happen in the game and if captain asks you for suggestion then you should be ready. My job is really easy. I take a backseat. Whenever he asks me about certain things, I go and tell him. For me, I generally take a backseat whenever he is the captain,” said Rahane while speaking to the media on Wednesday.
“Virat is the captain. He left from Australia for family reasons that is why I became the captain. Originally Virat is the captain and I am the vice-captain. So I am really happy that he is back with us. Which is really positive. As a team we are trying to play as a unit and together as well as to our strengths.”
The 32-year-old Rahane, who scored an impressive century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to help India win the second and roar back in the series following the capitulation in the first Test, will have to move back to No. 5 from the No. 4 slot where he batted in place of Kohli in Australia.
He admitted that a bit of adjustment is needed to move back to No. 5.
“Little bit of adjustment is needed. But I have been batting well,” he said.
