Now Reading: Ajinkya Rahane reveals ‘bluff’ after 36 all out in Australia
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Ajinkya Rahane reveals ‘bluff’ after 36 all out in Australia
The Story in Brief
Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane has said he used a ‘bluff’ strategy to keep his teammates confident after India were bowled out for 36 in Adelaide during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Speaking at a panel discussion on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, Rahane admitted he was nervous after taking over the captaincy from Virat Kohli but projected a brave face to Australia, the media, and his own squad.
Rahane said he told his injury-ravaged team to play for those who never got the opportunity to represent India and to ignore the result. India went on to win the series 2-1, ending Australia’s 32-year unbeaten run at the Gabba. The event marked the unveiling of the Indian men’s blind cricket team’s jersey for the Asia Cup in November.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both outlets provide near-identical straight reporting of Rahane's remarks, drawn from the same event. India Today leads with the tactical aspect of the 'bluff', framing it as a calculated captaincy move, while Rediff places greater emphasis on Rahane's admitted nervousness and the depleted squad's resilience. Neither outlet adds commentary or diverges on any fact, figure, or date. The uniform coverage means the only notable difference is a slight variation in emphasis, with India Today foregrounding the strategy and Rediff foregrounding the emotional recovery. Rahane's next public appearance is not named, the story ends on his recollection of the series win.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): indiatoday.in (neutral report), rediff.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
