When the Indian selectors named Ajinkya Rahane as the stand-in skipper for the recently-concluded Zimbabwe tour, the decision took everyone by surprise.

However, legendary batsman Rahul Dravid divulged that he wasn’t flabbergasted by the call as he was well-versed with the former’s capabilities.

“I wasn’t surprised,” asserted Dravid, as quoted by Cricket Country. “Rahane has really grown as a cricketer and as a person over the last two and three years I have seen him. The success he has had with the Test cricket has done a lot for him as a person.”

The 27-year-old, however, didn’t disappoint by leading a second-string Indian side to a comprehensive 3-0 conquest in the ODI series, before drawing a level in the two-match T20I series that ensued.

The triumphant factor further compels Dravid to consider him as a crucial prospect for the future.

“Rahane is really showing the capabilities of being an important player for India over the next decade. So, it was a nice pat on the back from the selectors.”