How time flies. Or does one say, how times change. The hero of the last BGT Series in a leadership role, Ajinkya Rahane is in India. He is no longer good enough to play for India, feel the selectors.

Jinx, as he is popularly known, has not taken it to heart.

He has done as well as he can in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai. More importantly, he is smashing the white ball to all corners of the park, proof of which are the runs he is piling on in the SMAT. At 36, Ajinkya Rahane is in a state of nirvana. He is happy to ply his trade. And at the same time, he is still in the running for captaincy of KKR in IPL 2025.

Contrast this with two captains, past and present, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who are again under the scanner. The third Test in the BGT series begins in Brisbane on Saturday morning. They used to call Gabba the Gabbatoir before Rahane led a side filled with motivated boys in 2021 January, the fourth and last Test. Soon, roles and situation changed. Gabbatoir became an abattoir for the Aussies in 2021.

Those were dark days of the Covid pandemic and cricket was played in a Bio Bubble. One man who burst the Aussie bubble was Rishabh Pant. His knocks and winning runs are unforgettable.

That's cricket. One man who actively participated in that famous win was Rohit Sharma, who scored 44 and 7 runs in the two innings at the Gabba three years ago. Now a skipper, Rohit will remember that Test, the spirit and how the victory was plotted by Jinx and coach Ravi Shastri. Of course, each member of the team pitched in. This time, Rohit is under pressure or so, we are made to believe. "He has not scored runs, he has forgotten how to lead," these are the comments on Rohit in media and social media.

Does not matter, Rohit will lead come what may. He has been training hard, ironing out the flaws. Should he open or come in the middle order. Should he attack, his patented style or play 'tuk-tuk' cricket? Well, Rohit will do what he knows best and play for India.

He is low on scores but to say he is low on confidence would be a shame. He is a leader with flair and feel, do not trash him. Rohit knows how important it is for him to score runs and also ensure India can bounce back from the defeat in Adelaide in the lousy Pink Ball Test. Rohit has to think like what Rahane did in 2021, his Mumbai mate and friend.

The same predicament for Virat Kohli, whose record Down Under is incredible. He smashed his 30th Test ton in Perth but failed in Adelaide. Fans are baying for his blood. "Virat should retire," is the refrain. How crazy can that be? The former India captains plays for hours at the nets, trying to iron out the flaws. Those who are technical, they will dissect his foot movement. Trigger is the phrase for it. Hope one does not confuse it with a pistol, since so many are baying for Virat Kohli.

Pardon the innocent souls, pardon the trolls, Kohli will bat, will play. He is there for every match in this series. Virat Kohli has got so involved now he leads motivational lessons before the 'nets' session. That's his intensity before the throwdown and drills are going through. If fans still want Kohli to retire, they are mindless. He has so much to offer even now. Keep watching him, he will go when he needs to. Even the BCCI will not dare to tell him to pack up.