Ajinkya Rahane, in IPL 2023 so far, hasn’t just scored 209 runs at an average of 52.25 and a stunning strike rate of 199.04, he has done so reinventing himself, making optimum use of improvisation that is so necessary in T20 cricket.
The scoop over gully region that almost went all the way for a maximum, off Kolkata Knight Riders’ left-arm quick Kulwant Khejroliya in the 18th over of Sunday’s game at a packed Eden Gardens, underpins the Chennai Super Kings No.3’s tremendous execution so far in this IPL. Proper cricketing strokes are certainly his forte, but if required, Rahane has shown he can execute the cheeky ones as well to good effect.
His masterly knock (71 not out off 29 balls) at the Eden on Sunday evening was a loud and clear statement of his intent. But then, what really has led to Rahane’s turnaround?
“The turning point is that here, at CSK, I’m getting chances to play. A year or two before, I wasn’t getting enough chances to play. Now if you don’t play, how are you going to show the kind of shots there are in your armoury? If you don’t play consistently, you can’t show what you’re capable of,” Rahane said at the news conference after CSK’s 49-run win over KKR.
Last year, Rahane made just seven appearances for KKR before a hamstring injury ruled him out of the remaining games. “I was very happy when CSK picked me. And when you play under Mahibhai (Mahendra Singh Dhoni), you get to learn a lot.
“As a player and batsman, you try to grow and improve. Keeping in mind how this format is evolving, you need to keep growing and developing as an individual. My preparation too was on track as I focused on improvement, developing one or two new shots and with the opportunity I got at CSK, I am able to show the kind of shots I’m capable of unleashing,” Rahane emphasised.
Rahane hasn’t been on Team India’s radar for quite some time now. But his revival through performances for Chennai Super Kings lately is being equated with that of Dinesh Karthik last year for Royal Challengers Bangalore, which eventually brought the veteran keeper-batter back in the Indian team for the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Will Rahane too be able to make an India comeback if he maintains such rhythm and fluency? For him though, it’s better to “stay in the moment”.
“I let my bat do the talking. People will keep saying such stuff when a player performs consistently. I’m happy that people are talking about me and saying such nice things. But my job is to stay in the moment, take one match at a time and keep contributing for CSK,” Rahane stated.
It’s still uncertain as to when Shreyas Iyer will return to fitness after back surgery, while Suryakumar Yadav is yet to prove himself in the ODI format.
So if Rahane remains consistent till the end of this IPL, it wouldn’t be surprising if the national selectors think about him for the Indian middle order for the 50-over World Cup in October-November.
