Ajinkya Rahane Stuns with Bat, Scores 71 off 29 Balls, and Helps CSK Win Against KKR in IPL Game

Ajinkya Rahane leads CSK against KKR on Sunday at Eden Gardens, with the team scoring 235/4 in 20 overs, and a win by 49 runs. Critics stay suddenly silenced.

Written by: Arjita Gupta

Edited by: Krutarth Ghosalkar

Last Updated: 2023-04-24 08:30:07

On Sunday, Ajinkya Rahane performed quite well in Eden Gardens. In 29 balls, he batted wonderfully and scored 71 at a strike rate of 244.83. The Chennai Super Kings team put 235/4 on board at the end of 20 overs against KKR because of Rahane’s action-packed batting. This also helped the team to a whooping win by 49 runs. Ajinkya said that he is enjoying the current game and feel the best is to yet come while he also liked his knock and wants to continue this form.

In the last season when Rahane faced KKR, in 7 matches that he was a part of, he could only make 133 runs. And his strike rate had dipped below 105. But now, things are different, and this season has seen his transformation. He also credited Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian team captain for this season’s success. He also appreciated he is getting enough freedom at CSK as he is getting finally a chance to play. Ajinkya expressed that two years back he was not getting the opportunity to play.

And that if he cannot be in the field then how he will get to play shots and play and know what he can do? Rahane also said that he wishes to be in the moment and take one match at a time, living in the present and letting his bat do the talking. Rahane hit six fours and five sixes overall and made 50 runs in just 24 balls. Also, he scored 21 runs in the last 5 balls he faced.

However, Ajinkya used his skills here and not threw the bat in the air with brute power. The proper cricketing shots by him are an example of improvisation. And Rahane said that for him, everything is about playing these shots by timing the ball. He also said that he does not copy any else but backs his game and method as it is important to do so.

Dhoni had spoken about the tournament earlier. He said that Rahane had a word with him initially and asked what Dhoni was looking for him. To which Dhoni replied with what he had in mind and asked Jinks to play to his strengths as he can use the ability to do well in the fields and manipulate it if not to consistently hit sixes. Dhoni feels that Rahane is sound technically.

The captain asked him not to take the stress and to go and enjoy himself and that the team will back him. But nothing stays out of controversy. In the tournament earlier, Virendra Sehwag saw the issue in a different light and talked about Rahane-Dhoni. Sehwag did not seem happy that Dhoni kept Ajinkya in the IPL without playing for the team.

As per Sehwag, players require confidence and asked Dhoni that when he captained the team, he did not keep Rahane in one-day matches. And now suddenly when Dhoni wants an experienced player, so he has got Rahane at the side, who cannot rotate the strike and is slow.