Ajinkya Rahane, a veteran India batter, said that he wasn’t sure what role Ben Stokes would play in the season opener on March 31 when the Chennai Super Kings played the Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium. The team spent INR 16.25 crore to sign the England international, and the all-rounder is expected to be a key player for CSK in the tournament.
But before the big game, Stokes hurt his left knee, and it wasn’t clear if he would be able to play against the Gujarat Titans. The 31-year-old is still expected to play, but he might not bowl at all. Mike Hussey, the batting coach for CSK, recently confirmed this and also said that a decision will be made about his bowling later in the tournament.
Since Stokes can bat anywhere from one to five, his role is still not clear. Rahane said that MS Dhoni, the captain of CSK, has everything planned out in his head and will use him well in the match against GT.
“You’ll see what Mahi Bhai does with him tomorrow. Mahi Bhai thinks about it all the time. The Hindustan Times quoted Ajinkya Rahane as saying, “He will use him very well.”
Ajinkya Rahane talks about what he does for CSK.
Since Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway are also on the team, the 34-year-old may have to sit on the bench for most or all of the tournament. But before the new season, Rahane said that he has always been the first batter and would like to keep doing that, but he is willing to change if the team wants him to.
“I’ve always been the one to start. I have always opened the batting in T20 games, so my role hasn’t changed much. Still, I am always willing to do what the management and captain ask of me. For me, it’s always about the team, so whenever I get an opportunity, I will give my best,” Rahane explained.
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