Wasim Jaffer sends an encoded message to stand-in skipper Rahane ahead of Boxing Day Test

As Ajinkya Rahane gears up to fill in the shoes of skipper Virat Kohli for the remainder of the Test series against Australia, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has sent a 'hidden' message to the stand-in captain to strategize for the Boxing Day Test. Jaffer, who is also the batting coach of Punjab in IPL, shared the message on Twitter on Monday after India's humiliating defeat at the Adelaide. While the former cricketer shared a random message to boost the team's morale, the hidden message was encoded in the first letter of each word forming an acronym. 

"People In Cricket Know Grief In Life Lingers Aplenty Never Dabble Rise And Handcraft Unique Legacy," he wrote on Twitter. 

Jaffer's hidden message to Rahane was: 'PICK GILL AND RAHUL'

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The suggestion to pick Shubman Gill and KL Rahul has been echoed by several veterans after Prithvi Shaw failed to make an impact in the first Test. While Virat Kohli packs his bags to return home for the birth of his first child, Team India have been dealt with another blow as Mohammad Shami has been ruled out of the series with a fracture he sustained in the first Test. 

Veterans suggest changes 

The Men in Blue next face Australia on December 26 in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Ahead of the second Test of the series, veteran cricketer have suggested potential changes to the Indian team that might make it hopeful of a strong comeback. Pertinently, India will take the field for the rest of the series without its full-time skipper Virat Kohli as he travels back home for the birth of his first child. Suggesting that KL Rahul might come in for Virat Kohli, former Australian speedster Glenn McGrath opted for Shubman Gill to make it to the playing XI in place of out-of-form Prithvi Shaw.

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Meanwhile, former Indian spinner Murali Karthik identified Rishabh Pant as the 'X-factor' that the Men in Blue could bring in to play. Suggesting that Ajinkya Rahane could promote himself to No. 4, Karthik suggested that Pant could be roped into the playing XI without taking away wicketkeeping duties from Wriddhiman Saha. 

India's crushing defeat 

Team India created an unwanted record after their humiliating batting performance against Australia in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday where neither of the batsmen even managed to reach double figures and were eventually restricted to 36/9. India have now registered their lowest score in the game's longest format. Their previous lowest score in Test cricket was against England at the 'Mecca of Cricket' Lord's back in June 1974. 

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