While Rahane said he had taken the decision of introducing Ashwin early into the attack, an old video of the spinner is doing the rounds on Twitter.
Ajinkya Rahane, who was told to start playing in the Ranji Trophy to regain his form, had sparked outrage with the comments that he made during an interview. The 33-year-old batter had said all the decisions he took during the game against Australia in the series Down Under, credit was taken by someone else.
He accused some people of stealing the credit for the decisions that he made during the historic Test series win and presenting them as their own in the public while talking in an episode of 'Backstage With Boria'. The former Indian Test vice-captain also recalled one decision that he took during the game - introducing Ravichandran Ashwin into the bowling attack inside the first 10 overs He said that he took the call "purely on instinct" and was glad that it paid off as India had got two wickets of Matthew Wade and Steve Smith in two overs.
"Bringing Ashwin in the ninth over was completely instinctive and that played off really well. It got Matthew Wade out and Steve Smith out in two overs. I won't say that it completely turned the game in our favour after that but I will admit that was a decision that was purely on instinct. The wicket was looking damp. After the pacers went about in the first three-four overs I felt I should use Ashwin in Melbourne and the time was now," Rahane said.
"I know what I've done there. I don't need to tell anyone. That's not my nature to go and take credit. Yes, there were some things that I took the decisions on the field or in the dressing room but someone else took the credit for it. (What was) important for me was that we won the series. That was a historical series and for me, that was really special."
While he did not mention anyone, many believe it was an indirect jibe at the then head coach Ravi Shastri. The former India cricketer was heavily praised for the team's performance and for being the architect of the turnaround.
While Rahane said he had taken the decision of introducing Ashwin early into the attack, an old video of the off-spinner is doing the rounds on Twitter.
According to the clip, which is from Ashwin's YouTube channel, the veteran off-spinner can be heard saying it was Shastri who told him to get the bowl inside the first 10 because he felt the pitch would be damp and might offer some spin.
"Ravi Shastri came into the dressing room and boomed, ‘ASSHHHH, get the ball in the first 10 overs'. I was just wearing my pants. I thought 'in Melbourne he wants me to bowl in the first 10 overs' (Ashwin imitating Shastri)," Ashwin had told India's former fielding coach R Sridhar on his YouTube channel.
"It might be damp, it might spin, I have told Jinks (Rahane)'. Bumrah bowled a good spell. Jinks then gave me the ball and the first ball I bowled, it spun a lot and bounced as well. I was like wow," Ashwin added.
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All this has stirred a heated debate as people do not know whom to believe.
Meanwhile, Rahane has returned back to Ranji Trophy after suffering a prolonged slump leading India to that historic series win. Last year, he had played 13 Tests but managed only 479 runs at an average of 20.82.
He scored two 50s and some crucial 40s but lacked consistency overall. In South Africa, he scored 136 runs from six innings at a below-par average of 22.67.
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 "Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin")
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