 "Ind vs Aus: 'Bowler's captain' Rahane will bring 'calm energy', says Ishant")
India pacer Ishant Sharma feels stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane is a "bowler's captain" and believes that the batsman will bring calmness on the field as the middle-order batsman gears up to lead the team for the remaining three Tests against Australia.
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The Indian team will be without regular skipper Virat Kohli as the batsman requested for a paternity leave for the birth of his first child. And it will be on Rahane to lead the fightback as the Indians suffered an eight-wicket loss in the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval. Ishant believes Rahane is a confident cricketer and loves communicating with the players on the field.
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"He is very confident. He is very calm. I cannot say he does not have a sense of humour, obviously, he jokes around with us. But he is very confident in what he wants to do. I must say that he's a bowler's captain because whenever Virat has not been around on the field, Jinks always asked me what kind of field you want, when you want to bowl just tell me, or if you want to go on (bowling)," Ishant said during an interview with ESPN Cricinfo.
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"So, I think he is a bowler's captain. He is not someone who'll say: do this or do that. Even when Virat is there (as captain), he (Rahane) will keep on asking, I do not know about others, but he asks me every single time: 'How many overs you want to bowl so I will speak to Virat'," he added.
While admitting it is not easy for everyone to match what Kohli brings to the table, Ishant said Rahane will be able to lead the team well in pressure situations.
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"The kind of energy Virat brings to the table, I do not think every other person can match that... Rahane will provide calm energy, especially in a pressure situation. He will communicate with the bowlers very well," he said.
The Boxing Day Test between India and Australia will begin on December 26 in Melbourne.