36 All Out to MCG Victory: Rahane's 112 and Crisis Leadership Lessons
India was 36 all out in Adelaide, Kohli was absent. Rahane walked in at 64/3 at MCG and scored 112 off 200 vs Starc and Hazlewood. Day 24 of Cricket to Corporate.
India was bowled out for 36 in Adelaide — their lowest Test innings total in history. The captain, Virat Kohli, flew home for the birth of his child. The world wrote India off in the series. And then Ajinkya Rahane walked out to bat at the MCG on Boxing Day, came in at 64/3, and scored 112 off 200 balls against Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood — one of the best bowling pairs in the world. India won the match. According to McKinsey India, managers who demonstrate composure in a crisis inspire 34% more confident decision-making in their teams. Rahane is the masterclass. Day 24 of my Cricket to Corporate Challenge.
TL;DR- After India's catastrophic 36 all out in Adelaide and with Kohli absent, Rahane walked in at a precarious 64/3 at the MCG on Boxing Day
- His composed innings of 112 off 200 balls against Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood stabilized India's innings in the most hostile conditions
- Rahane's calm demeanor under the most extreme pressure changed the series trajectory — India went on to win the Test and ultimately the series
- The corporate lesson: staying composed when things look most dire — bad quarter, major project setback, leader absent — is itself a leadership act
- Moving past setbacks to focus on the available opportunity is Rahane's core message for Indian professionals facing crisis situations
Day 24: India's 36 All Out and What Happened Next at the MCG
Day 24 of my Cricket to Corporate Challenge. The 2020-21 India tour of Australia was supposed to be over after Adelaide. India's 36 all out — their lowest Test total ever — was a humiliation of historic proportions. The captain was leaving. The media was writing the series off. In that moment of maximum despair, something remarkable happened: Ajinkya Rahane took the captaincy for the MCG Test and proceeded to do what great leaders do in crisis — he didn't react to the despair. He focused on what was possible from here. The result was one of India's greatest Test victories.
Rahane at 64/3: Stepping Into a Crisis No One Expected Him to Solve
When Rahane walked in at 64/3 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day, he was facing Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood — arguably the world's best new-ball pairing at the time, on a pitch and in conditions that strongly favoured them. The 36 all out was fresh in every Indian player's mind. The temptation to play cautiously, to protect your wicket, to manage rather than lead, must have been immense. Instead, Rahane played with composure and purpose. Not recklessly — purposefully. 112 off 200 balls is not a defensive innings. It is controlled, authoritative, crisis-managing batting from a leader who refused to let the last test define this one.
112 Off 200 Balls: What Composure Under Maximum Pressure Looks Like
Here's the thing about composure under maximum pressure — it is not the absence of feeling the pressure. Rahane knew exactly how dire the situation was. He knew India needed something special. He knew he was leading without his regular captain. Composure isn't pretending the pressure doesn't exist — it's choosing your response to it deliberately rather than being swept away by it. In my training work with leaders at RBI, BARC, and Indian Army, I see that the most respected leaders in crisis situations are not the ones who pretend everything is fine — they're the ones who acknowledge the reality and then focus their energy entirely on what can be done from here.
| Crisis Response | Panic Response | Rahane's Composure Model |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledging crisis | Denial or overwhelm, deer-in-headlights | Honest acknowledgment, immediate next focus |
| Team communication | Mixed signals, visible anxiety | Clear, calm, session-by-session framing |
| Decision-making | Reactive, over-cautious or desperate | Purposeful, controlled, strategic |
| Previous failure impact | Last disaster defines next attempt | Extract lesson, detach, focus on now |
| Outcome | Crisis compounds, team loses confidence | Recovery, series-turning victory |
Leading Without the Usual Leader: When Kohli Is Absent and You Must Step Up
The corporate parallel to Kohli's absence in the Adelaide-MCG Test is one of the most common leadership situations in India: the usual leader is not available — on leave, transferred, or promoted — and someone has to step up and lead without the full playbook. What Rahane demonstrates is that 'leading without the usual leader' is possible when the person who steps up has clarity, composure, and the confidence to make decisions. They don't need to be Kohli. They need to be fully themselves in a leadership role. I've trained managers at Bosch, Siemens, and L&T who have done exactly this — stepped up in a crisis and produced career-defining results.
The Corporate Crisis Parallel: When a Bad Quarter, Lost Client or Failed Project Hits
The good news for Indian corporate teams facing crisis is that the pattern of recovery is consistent across contexts: the crisis looks worse before it gets better, the key is not to freeze, and composure at the top is what prevents panic from cascading down the team. A bad sales quarter. A major client pulling out. A key team member leaving at the worst moment. A project going significantly over budget. Each of these is a 36 all out. The next match is the MCG Boxing Day Test. What Rahane showed is that the team that doesn't let the last disaster define the next attempt is the team that turns the series around.
How to Stay Focused and Maintain Team Morale When Things Look Dire
Maintaining team focus and morale when things look most dire requires specific leadership behaviours — not just positivity. First, be honest about the situation: Rahane didn't pretend the 36 all out didn't happen. He acknowledged it and then shifted the team's attention to what was possible in Melbourne. Second, create a clear, specific focus for the next action: not 'do better' but 'bat session by session.' Third, model the composure you want to see — your team's emotional state will mirror yours more than you realize. At JSW Steel and Ferrero India, I've trained leaders to deliberately manage their visible demeanor during team crises because of how powerfully it impacts team performance.
Moving From Crisis to Opportunity: Rahane's Mental Framework for Corporate Leaders
Rahane's mental framework for moving from crisis to opportunity can be summarized in three moves: detach from the last result, assess what is genuinely available from here, and commit fully to executing the opportunity that exists. This sounds simple. It is extremely hard to do when the previous failure is fresh and public. The professionals I see do this best in corporate India are those who have developed a consistent post-crisis review practice — not dwelling in what went wrong, but extracting the lesson quickly and redirecting energy toward the next available opportunity. Rahane walked into the MCG without the weight of Adelaide. That's a mental discipline, not a natural gift.
Building a Team That Doesn't Fall Apart When the Leader Is Absent
Building a team that doesn't collapse when the primary leader is absent requires deliberate investment in depth. Rahane wasn't chosen randomly to lead at Melbourne — he was a senior player with leadership instincts, a clear game plan, and the respect of the dressing room. Organizations that invest in leadership development at every level — not just at the top — create teams that can handle the Kohli-is-absent moments without falling apart. At ABC Trainings, our Manager Development Programs specifically address this: building the leadership capability below the top level so that when the usual leader is unavailable, the team doesn't wait — it steps up.
Book Avinash Chate for Your Next Event
TEDx speaker. 11+ yrs training Army, BRO, RBI, BARC, JSW. Available for keynotes, leadership training, team building & manager development at your office or event venue.
✅ Thanks! Avinash team will reach out within 24 hours.'}).catch(function(e){f.outerHTML='Something went wrong. WhatsApp +91 8793630001
'});return false;">Select ServiceKeynote / Motivational SpeakingLeadership Development TrainingTeam Building WorkshopManager DevelopmentEmployee TrainingOutbound TrainingBook Avinash Now →Or WhatsApp directly: +91 87936 30001
Related Articles by Avinash Chate
- The IPL Slap That Cost Harbhajan His Season: Office Self-Control Guide
- Dhoni's Helicopter Shot: The Thappad Move That Won India the World Cup
- Harbhajan's 2001 Hat-Trick: Lessons in Support, Pressure and Comeback
Avinash Chate TEDx Speaker · Founder, The Future Corporate · 11+ yrs experience Avinash has trained Indian Army, BRO, RBI, BARC, JSW Steel and 1000+ corporate leaders across India. His work focuses on leadership development, communication skills, and behavioural training rooted in Indian values and modern business needs. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the leadership lesson from Ajinkya Rahane's Boxing Day Test century at the MCG?
The core leadership lesson from Rahane's MCG Boxing Day Test is that composure under maximum pressure is a deliberate leadership choice, not a personality trait. After India's catastrophic 36 all out in Adelaide, with Virat Kohli absent, Rahane stepped up as captain, walked in at 64/3 against the world's best new-ball pair, and delivered a composed 112-run innings that stabilized India's position and set up a match-winning total. The lesson for corporate leaders: when things look most dire — a bad quarter, a key client lost, a major project in crisis — calm, purposeful leadership that focuses on what is available from here, rather than what went wrong before, is what turns the situation around.
What score did Rahane make in the 2020 Boxing Day Test at the MCG and in what context?
Ajinkya Rahane scored 112 runs off 200 balls in the 2020 Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, coming in at the crease when India were at a precarious 64 for 3 following their disastrous performance of being bowled out for just 36 in the first Test in Adelaide. He batted through India's innings against a formidable Australian attack led by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. His composed, authoritative innings helped India post a competitive total. India won the match convincingly, and the victory became the turning point in a Test series that India ultimately won 2-1.
How do I stay calm and lead effectively when my team is in a crisis situation?
Staying calm and leading in a crisis requires three practices: first, be honest about the situation — acknowledge what happened and what you're dealing with; don't minimize or catastrophize. Second, immediately shift the team's attention to the nearest specific action that is within control — not the big picture solution, but the next concrete step. Rahane focused on surviving each session, not winning the series. Third, manage your visible demeanor deliberately — your team's emotional state mirrors yours closely. If you appear panicked, they will panic. If you appear purposeful and calm, they will find their focus. This is crisis leadership, and it is learnable.
How do I build a team that can function at high performance when the primary leader is absent?
Building a team that functions at high performance when the primary leader is absent requires deliberate investment in leadership depth. This means identifying senior team members who have the instincts and respect needed to step up, giving them practice in leadership before the crisis arrives — not just in the crisis itself. It also means creating clear decision-making protocols so the team knows how to operate when they cannot escalate to the usual authority. Finally, it requires a culture where initiative and ownership are expected at every level, not just at the top. The team Rahane led had this depth — they had been developed to perform even without Kohli.
Avinash Chate services
Corporate Trainer in Maharashtra · Top Corporate Trainers in Maharashtra · Leadership Trainer in Maharashtra · Top Leadership Trainers in Maharashtra · Team Building Trainer in Maharashtra · Top Team Building Trainers in Maharashtra · Motivational Speaker in Maharashtra · Top Motivational Speakers in Maharashtra · All service locations
← Back to all articles · Book Avinash Chate
By Avinash Chate — Maharashtra’s #1 Corporate Trainer & Motivational Speaker. .