"Never about, 'You play an anchor role and others will play around you"- Ajinkya Rahane credits CSK stint for incredible SMAT 2024 run
Veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane credited his stint with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the turnaround in his T20 game. His remarks came after smashing a third consecutive half-century for Mumbai in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).
Rahane has been on an incredible run through the tournament, leading the run-scoring chart with 432 runs at an average of 61.71 and a strike rate of almost 170 in eight games. The stylish right-hander played for CSK in the 2023 and 2024 IPL seasons, with the franchise utilizing him as an aggressor instead of the customary anchor role he was playing until then.
Following his latest heroics of 98 from 56 deliveries in the SMAT semi-final against Baroda, Rahane mentioned how CSK's message to him was in complete contrast to the others.
"The message from them was clear: go out there and play your natural game. It was never about, 'You play an anchor role and others will play around you'. [From] other teams, the message for me was, 'Play till 15-16 overs and others will play around you'. That's why I was playing with a strike rate of 120-130. But the last two years have really helped me a lot in the shorter format," he said [via ESPN Cricinfo].
For context, Rahane had a strike rate of 115.31 in the powerplay in T20s before joining CSK in IPL 2023. However, his powerplay strike rate has jumped to 156.83 in 23 T20 innings since.
Rahane was instrumental in CSK winning their fifth IPL title in 2023, scoring 326 runs at an average of 32.60 and a strike rate of 172.49 in 14 games.
"For me, it's always about timing the ball" - Ajinkya Rahane
Despite the incredible SMAT run, Ajinkya Rahane asserted that his focus remains on timing the ball over power-hitting.
The 36-year-old was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹1.5 crores at the IPL 2025 auction last month.
"I'm not too strong, [and] it's not about power hitting," he said. "For me, it's always about timing the ball. But at the same time, having that intent from ball number one. And it's always about the extension of my defense - all the shots. So I'm just focusing on that. [I'm] not trying to play too hard or, trying to play a big shot. It's always about the timing of the ball, and maintaining my shape all the time," said Rahane.
The veteran batter has won three consecutive Player of the Match awards for his sensational performances in the ongoing SMAT.
Rahane will look to continue his breathtaking form when Mumbai takes on Madhya Pradesh in the 2024 SMAT final at Bengaluru on Sunday, December 15.