“The turning point for me is the fact that I am getting a chance to play” - Ajinkya Rahane

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ajinkya Rahane has described getting a chance to play consistently for a franchise as a turning point in his batting in the IPL. He asserted that he had been preparing well and had even added some strokes to his armory, but was waiting for a chance to display his skills.

Rahane was the Player of the Match for his stupendous 71* off 29 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, April 23. The 34-year-old was at his destructive best, slamming six fours and five sixes.

The right-handed batter, whose presence in CSK’s IPL 2023 squad was questioned by quite a few critics, has been in tremendous form with the willow. He has smashed 209 runs in five matches at an average of 52.25 and a strike rate of 199.05.

In a post-match conference following CSK’s 49-run triumph over KKR, Rahane was asked about the turning point in his batting. He replied:

“The turning point for me is the fact that I am getting a chance to play. If you see one or two years back, I was not getting a chance to play. If you can’t play consistently then how can you show the kind of shots that you have? You cannot.

“At CSK, I have been given a chance to play. I was very happy when CSK picked me. When you play under Mahi bhai [MS Dhoni], you get an opportunity to learn a lot. As a player and as a batsman, you always try to improve and grow as a cricketer.

"My preparations were always right and I was working on adding shots to my repertoire. Because of the chance CSK gave me, I was able to demonstrate what shots I have in my arsenal.”

Last season, Rahane was part of the KKR camp. He played seven matches, scoring 133 at an average of 19 and a strike rate of 103.91. He was subsequently ruled out due to a hamstring injury.

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“It’s important to back your own style” - Ajinkya Rahane

The standout feature of Rahane’s innings on Sunday was his strokeplay. He batted in unconventional mode, even bringing out a scoop in Suryakumar Yadav's style. Asked about his batting mantra, Rahane explained:

“Everyone has a different style of how they play. For me, it is all about timing the ball and playing proper cricketing shots. It is all about just backing my game in the middle. It is really important rather than trying to copy someone else. There are power hitters who are also doing well, but it’s important to back your own style and method.”

Rahane and Shivam Dube (50 off 21) added an enterprising 85 for the third wicket as CSK posted 235/4 after being asked to bat. Their bowlers then held KKR to 186/8.