'Test match batting is about swallowing your ego'

Kaif, Yuvraj, Sehwag hail Rahane's unbeaten knock

Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif, on Sunday, said stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane has shown that batting in the longest format of the game is about swallowing your ego.

Rahane hit an unbeaten 104-run knock against Australia on day two of the ongoing second Test of the four-match series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to put India back on top. Kaif hailed the 'top effort' by Rahane and explained how the skipper played cautiously in the first two sessions and then unleashed his true class in the after tea.

"@ajinkyarahane88 shows Test match batting is about swallowing your ego. Lie low for the first two sessions, show your swagger in the final session. Mumbai ishtyle Test batting. Top effort skipper, kudos!" Kaif tweeted.

Former India batsmen Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag also hailed Ajinkya Rahane's unbeaten 104-run knock.

"A captain's Hundred points symbol solid, gritty, and calm just like his personality @ajinkyarahane88 sharp mind in the field setting as well! @imjadeja looking great, how good has he become batting lower down the order. Great start for @RealShubmanGill! We are looking good for a decent lead," tweeted Yuvraj.

Virender Sehwag also took to Twitter to congratulate Rahane on playing a captain's knock. Taking to Twitter, Sehwag wrote: "Brilliant hundred @ajinkyarahane88, determination and class."

Rahane and Jadeja are unbeaten on 104 and 40 respectively for India in the first innings and they will resume the proceedings for the visitors on day three of the second Test.

At stumps on day two, the visitors' score read 277/5 and the side has taken a lead of 82 runs over Australia. The hosts might have scalped wickets of India's top-order, but in the final session, Rahane and Jadeja showed grit and determination to give India firm control of the match. Rahane and Jadeja have put on an unbeaten stand of 104 runs for the sixth wicket.

This is Rahane's eighth Test ton overseas and this is his first hundred as captain of Team India. With this knock, Rahane also became the second Indian batsman to score a century on his first match as captain in Australia.

Kohli was the first one to achieve the feat in 2014 when he registered a century in Adelaide. Kohli had gone back home after the first Test against Australia after being granted paternity leave by the BCCI.