# Ajinkya Rahane leaves all in splits with Ravi Shastri mimicry on air 2026-08-20T06:02:38+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Ajinkya Rahane impersonated Ravi Shastri on air during commentary for the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle, triggering laughter in the studio. The former India captain, working as a commentator for the first time, mimicked the legendary all-rounder's distinctive style and catchphrases. The moment occurred on the opening day of the Test match between the two Asian sides. Rahane, who last played for India in November 2024, is currently not part of the national team's plans and has been featuring in domestic cricket. Videos of the impersonation quickly went viral on social media, with fans and former players sharing the clip. Rahane had earlier spoken about enjoying his new role in the commentary box. ## Indian Opinion Analysis This was a light moment during a low-stakes Test between two teams not ranked in the top three. Rahane, 36, is no longer a regular in India's Test XI and was working as a commentator for the first time. Impersonations of iconic broadcasters are a known locker-room tradition in Indian cricket, with Shastri's catchphrase ## Coverage - sports.ndtv.com Leads with 'sparked a laughing riot' and 'left everyone in splits', pure entertainment framing with no political or governance angle. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Ajinkya Rahane, Galle, India, Ravi Shastri, Sri Lanka Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/ajinkya-rahane-leaves-all-in-splits-with-ravi-shastri-mimicry-on-air/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/ajinkya-rahane-leaves-all-in-splits-with-ravi-shastri-mimicry-on-air/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/