Kolkata Knight Riders batter Nitish Rana has thanked the KKR management for backing him despite his injury. Rana, who missed the majority of IPL 2024 due to injury, appeared in KKR’s last two matches against SRH and now MI.
The Kolkata-based franchise became the first team in the ongoing season of the tournament to qualify for the playoffs after they sealed an 18-run victory over Hardik Pandya's MI at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.
Rana, who missed the previous 10 games in IPL 2024 with a finger injury, made a brilliant comeback by playing a crucial innings of 33 (23) with the help of four fours and a six to help his side post a score of 157/7 in the rain-curtailed 16-over game.
Speaking about his injuries, Nitish Rana admitted that it was difficult for him to sit on the sidelines and watch others play. However, he complimented the franchise for believing in him to make a comeback, noting that most teams begin seeking for replacements.
"All credit to the team management. They showed tremendous belief in me by keeping me in the bench for 10 matches despite my injury. They knew I could make a positive impact even after 10 games. Luckily, my 33 runs were important on that stage because the ball was seaming and the wicket was helping fast bowlers," Rana said in a post-match press conference.
He also thanked mentor Gautam Gambhir and KKR chief coach Chandrakant Pandit for helping the team play as a collective one.
"You have to play good cricket to win games for your team, not just against Mumbai Indians. The difference this year compared to other years is that we are playing as a collective unit. We trust and believe each other. The credit for this goes to Chandu sir (Chandrakant Pandit) and Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir). They have backed players and it's bearing fruit," Rana said.
Nitish Rana also praised all-rounder Andre Russell who made valuable 24 runs and took two wickets.
Lavishing praise on Russell, Rana said, "Andre Russell is an asset for any team. When he fails with the bat, he wins matches with the ball and vice versa. We are lucky to have such a game-changer in our team."
KKR is at the top of the points table, with nine wins and three losses, with 18 points. KKR will play their next match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday.
(ANI inputs)
