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The alternate captain b used his luck to strike a brave undefeated century as India built an ominous 82-run lead over Australia on the second day to take full control in the second test in Melbourne on Sunday.
It was a decisive and crucial blow against a world-class attack from the mild-mannered 32-year-old, who assumed the captaincy from Virat Kohli after returning home for the birth of his first child.
At four, he faced 200 balls for 104 to bring India to 277 for five before rain ended the game 15 minutes earlier. Ravindra Jadeja was not out of 40.
The hosts took just four wickets during a frustrating day on the field as the match began to slip away with India focusing on leveling the series after losing the first test by eight wickets in Adelaide.
Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took two wickets.
While Rahane was the hero, it was a brave team performance, with three associations of more than 50 wickets to help silence his critics after India was hit by its all-time low of 36 last week.
On a wet and cloudy day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, they resumed with 36 to one in response to Australia’s first inning in 195, having weathered a torrid 11 overs on Saturday when they lost Mayank Agarwal to a duck.
On an action packed morning, the Aussie attack consistently hit its line and length with Pat Cummins pocketing impressive rookie Shubman Gill for 45 and then the experienced Cheteshwar Pujara for 17.
That brought Rahane to the fold and, first with Hanuma Vihari, then Rishabh Pant and finally Jadeja, he built half-century bleachers to put India in a strong position.
He put out his 12th test ton in his 67th game, and his second at Melbourne, on a Cummins four, but enjoyed good fortune.
Australia eliminated the first slip during Starc’s first spell in the final session and lived to regret it with Rahane gaining a lead at 57 that almost certainly would have been caught if the fielder were there.
He took a big casualty at 73 when he was brought down on the second slip by Steve Smith and again at 104 when the ball left Travis Head’s hands when he landed after receiving the catch.
Jadeja, back on the team after missing the first test injured, deftly supported Rahane on the other end after Vihari fell for 21 attempting to sweep Nathan Lyon, with Smith taking the catch.
That brought the lush Pant to the fold. Preferred to Wriddhiman Saha as a wicketkeeper, he scored a breezy 29 before becoming Starc’s 250th wicket, caught by Tim Paine for his 150th firing.
India was down to 64 times three before lunch after Cummins caused all sorts of problems.
He signaled his intention with the first ball of the day, which passed over Pujara’s bat. Paine asked for a review, believing he needed a nickname, but replays showed that it was not available.
Gill also survived a scare in the first in which he faced Paine at fault, failing to catch a difficult catch off Josh Hazlewood.
Cummins finally got the wicket he deserved when Gill, who added 17 to his score overnight after being preferred as a starter by Prithvi Shaw, got a nickname and Paine caught a simple trap.
He then took out Pujara, again drawing an advantage with Paine holding a brilliant dive catch.
