BGT Hero on Kohli: The Secret Behind India’s Test Success

Ajinkya Rahane reflects on the trust and communication that made his Test partnership with Virat Kohli so successful.

What made Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane one of India’s most successful Test pairs? According to Ajinkya Rahane, it wasn’t just their runs it was the way they understood each other.

After announcing his retirement from international cricket, Ajinkya Rahane looked back at his partnership with Kohli and revealed that their completely different personalities actually became their biggest strength.

While Kohli brought aggression, Rahane stayed calm, creating the right balance in pressure situations.

Rahane said the biggest reason behind their success was the honest communication they shared in the middle.

Whether it was attacking a bowler or responding to sledging, the two always discussed everything openly before making a decision.

The conversations didn’t stop after the day’s play. Rahane revealed that both players regularly spoke about batting, teammates and match situations off the field, helping them understand each other’s game even better.

The numbers also reflect that understanding. Kohli and Rahane added 3,661 runs together in Test cricket at an average of over 51, including 12 century partnerships.

They were also among India’s most successful overseas batting pairs during one of the team’s strongest Test eras.

Rahane also credited Kohli for giving players complete freedom. Instead of asking batters to settle in first, Kohli encouraged them to trust their instincts and play naturally from the first ball if they felt confident.

Looking back, Rahane believes their partnership was built on trust, communication and two completely different mindsets working towards the same goal.