For the most part of his career, Ajinkya Rahane made a name for himself as a classical, sedate batter. But in the last couple of years, Rahane has reinvented himself as an attacking T20 opener.
Rahane tops the run charts in this year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), smacking 432 runs at an impressive strike rate of nearly 170. He has been in devastating touch in the last three games, with scores of 98, 84 and 95.
The most recent knock, a 56-ball 98 in the semifinal here on Friday, knocked the fight out of Baroda.
The first signs of Rahane’s hitting abilities came in IPL 2023, when he represented Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Rahane went at a tournament strike rate of 172.48, as the M.S. Dhoni-led unit claimed the IPL title.
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“The message from CSK was clear – play your natural game. When I played for other teams, the message was to bat till 15-16 overs while others will play around me. That was why I was playing at a strike rate of 120 to 130. I am now allowing myself to bat with freedom,” Rahane said here on Friday.
In IPL 2025, Rahane will turn out for Kolkata Knight Riders, who signed him for his base price of Rs. 1.5 crore.
At 36, Rahane is in the final phase of his playing career. A former India captain and middle-order mainstay, Rahane has represented the nation in 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is.
His last international cap came in July 2023, in a Test against West Indies. The desire to wear the Indian jersey once again, however, has not diminished. “The love and passion for cricket keeps me going. I still love the game, and the fire inside me is still alive to represent India,” Rahane said.