"It's all about giving them confidence and Bharat sir is doing that really well" - Ajinkya Rahane hails KKR's pace battery

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Ajinkya Rahane has lauded new bowling coach Bharat Arun for helping his proteges gain confidence, which bore fruit in Match 1 of IPL 2022. KKR beat the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets on Saturday (March 26) in what was their first victory at the Wankhede Stadium in 10 long years.

34-year-old Umesh Yadav, playing just his third IPL game in three years, broke the back of CSK’s line-up with a fiery spell with the new ball. Rahane highlighted Umesh's powerplay exploits as one of the main reasons behind KKR’s win.

“Umesh has been bowling really well. He has proved himself for so many years now. He has the pace, I thought he bowled really well. He also got an opportunity after a long time, especially in this format, in the IPL. The way he bowled today – those wickets upfront were really crucial for us – and I am really happy for Umesh,” the former India Test vice-captain said at the post-match press conference.

Bowling during the field restrictions, Yadav took two for 12 in an opening burst of three overs, dismissing openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (0 off 4) and Devon Conway (3 off 8). He finished with figures of two for 20 from four overs.

Shivam Mavi also helped stem the run-flow early on. He conceded 20 runs in his first three overs before MS Dhoni (50* off 38) plundered 15 runs off his final over.

Rahane shed light on the work Bharat Arun is putting in behind the scenes. Having served as the bowling coach of the Indian team and at the NCA, the 59-year-old former pacer knows exactly how to get the best out of domestic talent.

“Bharat sir knows Mavi, Umesh, and all the Indian boys really well. And it’s all about giving them confidence. Mavi bowled well, Umesh bowled really well – they all are quality bowlers, they did well in the IPL before. So it’s all about giving them confidence and Bharat sir is doing that really well. I think Bharat sir is doing a great job and I am sure our bowlers will do well in this IPL,” Rahane said in response to a Sportskeeda query.

The duo were aided by Andre Russell (1 for 38), as well as the frugal spin duo of Varun Chakravarthy (1 for 23) and Sunil Narine (0 for 15).

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Two new eras begin in two different fashions

MS Dhoni's first IPL fifty since 2019 went in vain as KKR began on a winning note [Credits: IPL]

While CSK fans have been left to question the choice of their new captain in Ravindra Jadeja, KKR loyals are ushering in the Shreyas Iyer era with verve.

After winning the toss and electing to field first, the KKR bowlers had CSK on the mat at 84 for 5 after the 17th over. However, the fans at the Wankhede Stadium got their money’s worth as MS Dhoni turned back the clock. After hobbling to 15 off 25 balls, the 40-year-old roared to his 24th IPL fifty off just 38 deliveries.

Chasing 132 for victory, Ajinkya Rahane (44 off 34) and Venkatesh Iyer (16 off 16) got KKR off to a steady start with a 43-run opening alliance. Dwayne Bravo pulled things back to an extent with impressive figures of 3 for 20. But the result was a foregone conclusion as Shreyas Iyer (20* off 19) hit the winning boundary with nine balls to spare.

KKR will next face the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the DY Patil Stadium on March 30, while Jadeja will look to put the house in order when CSK take on the Lucknow Super Giants at the Brabourne Stadium the following day.