The stand-in skipper also added that the call on future of fourth Test in Brisbane will be taken by BCCI and team management.

The MCG win of eight wickets helped Rahane maintain his 100 per cent winning streak as a skipper although in only three Tests

In the cryptic message, Jaffer explained how he spent his day with each of his actions hinting towards a player that he would want in the lineup. He then suggested fans to decode the message. 

Lyon acknowledges that the stand-in Indian skipper was extremely good against him in the Boxing Day Test and the spinner has chalked out plans against Rahane for the Sydney Test.

The win in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was also remarkable considering India were without their talismanic batsman Virat Kohli and ace pacers Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami.

Rahane's dogged 112, which according to head coach Ravi Shastri was the turning point of the game, became the cornerstone of India's famous win in the second Test in Melbourne.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, meanwhile, ended the year at the top position after he dethroned Australia's Steve Smith, who slipped to the third spot after managing scores of 0 and 8 in the two innings at MCG.

Tendulkar was all praise for Rahane's captaincy as well as his match-changing hundred on a day when batting was difficult under overcast conditions.

Ajinkya Rahane-inspired India defeated Australia at the MCG by eight wickets to level the four-match series 1-1. 

It took less than an entire four days for the same Indian team, who were without four of their main players - Kohli, Shami, Ishant Sharma and injured Umesh Yadav - to wrap up an epic comeback, one to be part of India's cricket folklore for ages to come.

India's fifth bowler, Ravindra Jadeja who played as an all-rounder came good after pacer Umesh Yadav limped off the field early in Australia's second innings on Monday following pain in his ankle.

The 58-year-old former India all-rounder compared Rahane to Kohli, saying that though both are good readers of the game they are different in nature.

Following the eight-wicket win, Virat Kohli took to Twitter to congratulate the Indian team and Ajinkya Rahane for his captaincy.

Rahane, who scored a brilliant century in the first innings to lead India's revival after they were reduced to 116/4, said going in with five bowlers worked well.

With the win, Rahane, the Man of the Match for his 112 and 27*, etched his name in history for his inspiring captaincy while India extended their supremacy in Melbourne hence adding to Australia's woes at the venue.

India’s comprehensive victory, led brilliantly by stand-in skipper and man of the match Ajinkya Rahane, levels the four-match series at one-all.

The Aussies are ahead of India by just two runs and have four wickets in hand. India are yet to bat in the second innings.

Rahane patiently put together a valiant century, his 12th in the format as first as a captain, against one of the best Test bowling attacks in present world cricket. 

Rahane pats Jadeja after getting run out for no fault of his own; was run out by the smallest of margin while responding to a quick single call by Jadeja.

Rahane survived three dropped opportunities but showed ample resilience against the spin and pace attack to stitch fifty-run stands alongside Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant before added a century more alongside Ravindra Jadeja on day 2.