Ajinkya Rahane has credited Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri with fundamentally changing how India approached Test cricket after MS Dhoni’s retirement from the format. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast alongside Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook, Phil Tufnell, and David Lloyd, the recently retired batter described the shift as one of the defining developments in Indian cricket.
Rahane, who served as India’s vice-captain for much of that era, said the change began when Dhoni stepped away midway through the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Kohli took over the captaincy, and together with Shastri as head coach, steered the team toward a more confrontational, proactive style, according to Times of India.
A Fearless Approach, Especially Away From Home
Rahane described how the Kohli-Shastri combination pushed India to stop playing conservatively in overseas conditions. The team grew bolder and more aggressive, abandoning the defensive posture that had often characterised Indian touring sides. Rahane said Kohli personally encouraged players to attack from the opening deliveries if they felt the conditions warranted it, giving the squad the freedom to trust their instincts.
That shift produced results. As Yahoo Sports reported, India won historic series in Australia during that period, climbed to the top of the ICC Test rankings, and qualified for the inaugural World Test Championship final.
Concern Over Modern Test Mentality
Rahane’s comments were not solely nostalgic. He also voiced concern about the current state of Test cricket, including India’s recent defeats on home soil. Having spent two years outside the Test setup before announcing his retirement, he said the longest format demands a level of mental toughness and character that he feels is increasingly absent.
He expressed frustration at seeing teams fail to grind through difficult sessions. Surviving tough phases, he argued, is a discipline that needs to be developed rather than bypassed. Rahane did not single out any individual team or player, but made clear he considers resilience and patience to be non-negotiable qualities for Test success.
A Format That Demands Character
Rahane’s broader point was that Test cricket separates players who can endure from those who cannot. The ability to play out sessions, absorb pressure, and resist the urge to force the game is, in his view, a skill that modern cricketers are losing touch with.
Cricket’s ongoing cultural relationship with discipline and mental fortitude has been a recurring theme beyond India’s setup. Ben Stokes touched on related issues earlier this year in comments about cricket’s alcohol culture running deeper than just England, suggesting the sport is grappling more widely with questions of professionalism and character in elite environments.
Rahane’s reflections add a specific, historically grounded perspective to that conversation, from someone who lived through one of Indian cricket’s most competitive Test eras.
