Chennai Super Kings (CSK) clinched a commanding victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 23 (Sunday) at Eden Gardens Stadium. The Men in Yellow dominated the dual IPL champions, sealing the match by 49 runs and ascending to the pinnacle of the points table. The linchpin of CSK's triumph was the seasoned batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who unleashed a masterclass innings, tearing apart KKR's bowling lineup with his aggressive shots.
Rahane, who walked out to bat at No.3, remained unbeaten on 79 runs off 29 balls. The stylish right-handed batter smashed six fours and five sixes during his eye-catching knock.
The Mumbaikar was awarded the Man of the Match award and he reflected on how having a clear mindset seems to have reinvigorated his career.
"Just had a clear mindset. If the thing between your ears is right, your mind is right then you'll be fine. I'm just trying to enjoy my game. The wicket was a bit sticky, but once you are in you have a great chance. We had a great start, and after that I wanted to play my shots and keep the momentum. I've enjoyed all my knocks so far, I still feel the best is yet to come," Rahane told the broadcasters after the match.
In the ongoing edition of the cash-rich tournament, Rahane has played some extraordinary innings. The highlight of his batsmanship so far has been the rate at which Rahane has scored his runs. Overall, the right-handed batter has scored 209 runs in five matches at a magnificent strike rate of 199.05 and has two half-centuries to his name. While five matches are a small sample size, Rahane has never scored runs at a strike rate of more than 137.89 (2019) and he has played in every edition of the IPL.
Rahane also touched on the importance of MS Dhoni and how he continues to learn from the CSK captain.
"It is a great learning, I've played under Mahi bhai for India for many years, and now even at CSK it has been a great learning. If you listen to whatever he says, you will more often than not perform," the veteran added.
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