The only difference I find in this Indian team that bounced back from the 36 all out and then wrested a draw from sure defeat is Rahane's captaincy. What did he do different is a question one would ask? But then one would have to know what it means to let your team members feel enough ownership of the team that they personally feel responsible, not for the captain, but as a captain themselves, and rise to levels they have not risen before. This is the kind of a captain who does not say a word but lets go enough of the rope to allow players to think for themselves, to own their life and its trajectory, to be responsible for themselves and the team, on their own. It requires him to allow space to look within and not always look at him, to be ok with giving their best, irrespective of failure or of method. It is a culture of psychological safety.
In such cultures players like Rishab Pant or a Vihari dig deep and find the space to do it for their team, fro themselves. Its the space a monk understands. Rahane has often been compared to one but I can so clearly see the space he has created. It's rare. Its a space Dhoni could create and get the best performances from his fringe players, most unlikely players.
Its something Virat may never achieve simply because he is a star, and stars do not think this way. Only an MSD or a Rahane can, from behind.
I feel its a good case to make Rahane the captain and allow Virat to perform as a star without this extra responsibility.
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