This season has been a little hot and cold for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), with several players putting up erratic performances. Ajinkya Rahane, the captain and the team’s leading run scorer thus far this season, is the only KKR batter who has demonstrated consistency.
In the ten games he has played in, the batter has amassed 297 runs with an average of 37.12 and a strike rate of 149.24. Some still believe that he should be playing a more aggressive game, comparing it to his time at Chennai Super Kings (CSK), despite some impressive performances. Rahane, however, has claimed that he can adjust to any circumstance and that he must play the innings in accordance with the demands of the squad.
“I can adjust to any environment. Yes, you have seen me play for CSK and Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the past two to three years with varying strike rates. Even though I had a very high strike rate when I first arrived, I had to adjust to the circumstances because our batters were having trouble scoring runs. Therefore, it’s critical for batters to swiftly adjust to changing circumstances,” Rahane stated in a Star Sports interview.
“Yes, you have seen me play for CSK and Mumbai during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy over the past two to three years with varying strike rates. Even though I had a very high strike rate when I first arrived, I had to adjust to the circumstances because our batters were having trouble scoring runs. Therefore, it’s critical for batters to swiftly adjust to changing circumstances,” Rahane continued.
I’m Ajinkya Rahane, an offensive player.
Rahane further disclosed that he is an attacking player by nature and simply follows his gut when he is playing. He also discussed the significance of rotating the strike since, depending on the circumstances of the game, a strike rate of 120–130 can also help the team win games.
“I’m just supporting my innate abilities. I play as an attacker. I prefer to trust my gut. I enjoy playing my shots. However, if the circumstances call for me to play with a strike rate of 140, 150, or occasionally 130, we have seen in this IPL that winning the singles and doubles matches may be achieved by playing 120-130. Rahane said, “I can do that.”
I can also play with a strike rate of 180, 190, or 200 if that is what a club requests. It’s about the circumstances, then. The KKR captain came to the conclusion, “We want to read the situation really well, you know, have that match awareness, and try and play accordingly.”