Justin Langer Reveals Australian Legend Mentored Ajinkya Rahane Before BGT 2020-21
Former Australian coach Justin Langer has revealed that Ajinkya Rahane received advice and mentoring from Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh in the lead-up to the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
While commentating on the action on Day 3 of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023 between India and Australia at The Oval, Langer recalled how he felt when Waugh called him to inform him that he had been mentoring Rahane ahead of the series.
Langer revealed that Waugh, who he regarded as a personal hero, rang him up to be transparent about having conversations with Rahane. Waugh told him that he had been doing a bit of mentoring for the Indian middle-order batter ahead of the series. Langer went on to say that he saw “red flags” when he noted the calmness with which Rahane was playing in the series and it made sense when Waugh made the revelation.
"Before the series started Steve Waugh, my hero, he rang me and said I was going to be transparent. I wanna be honest I’m having some conversations with Rahane…doing a bit of mentoring him leading to that series. Not Steve Waugh, the iceman and we saw that calmness in Rahane, we saw the way he played in that series and when I knew he was talking to Steve, it was red flags for me," Langer told on Star Sports.
Rahane was a key performer in India’s series win in Australia in 2020-21, acting as stand-in skipper in the absence of Virat Kohli, who had returned to India to attend the birth of his daughter. Not only did the stylish middle-order batter score a remarkable century in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, but he also captained the side to a famous win over the Aussies at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Rahane continued his excellent form in Test matches against Australia in the World Test Championship final, standing tall as the rest of the Indian batting lineup floundered around him.
He scored a stylish 89 off 129 balls with the help of 11 fours and one six, mixing his usual slowing strokeplay and impeccable timing with grit and determination, braving hostile spells of bowling from the Australian pacers as well as a few blows to the body.
Rahane, alongside Shardul Thakur, helped India avoid the follow-on in the first innings, and his innings prompted Langer to disclose the influence of Steve Waugh in his calm approach.
It is worth noting that this is Rahane’s first Test match since January 2022, having been dropped for the home series against Sri Lanka in March of that year. Although his inclusion in the team owes partly to injuries to Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant, Rahane’s excellent showing in the IPL and superb temperament has helped him stand out in his comeback.
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