Ajinkya Rahane has impressed one and all with his batting exploits in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024. The right-hander has amassed 432 runs from seven innings at a remarkable strike rate of 170, propelling Mumbai to the final of the domestic T20 tournament.
Rahane stole the show with his 56-ball 98 in the semi-final clash against Baroda at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Friday (December 13). His knock, laced with 11 fours and 5 sixes, helped Mumbai chase down the target of 159 with ease.
"It's just a mindset change. The way this format is going on throughout the world, it is important to play with a fearless attitude, playing with freedom,” Rahane said in a media interaction.
"My game is always about the time. I'm not too strong. It's not about power hitting. For me, it's always about timing the ball. It’s always about the extension of my defence.
"Even though I'm playing at a strike rate of 190-200, it's still classical batting. It's not power-hitting. It's always about trying to play over mid-off, over mid-on, over extra covers for left-arm spinners."
When asked if he feels the urge to play those eye-catching innovative shots the modern day T20 batters often execute, Rahane replied: "For me, it's about keeping it simple. That's the hardest thing to do for an individual. When you're doing well, your mind tells you to do something else, something extra. And that's where you actually make a mistake."
However, the 36-year-old likes to experiment with the adventurous strokes once in a while, if the situation permits.
"I always believe you should not have fear of failure. I do play different shots — reverse sweep, scoop. But you don't want to expose all the shots in one game. You try to assess the situation and conditions, see the pace, how the ball is coming, pace of the wicket, and try to play accordingly.
"You should have one extra shot with you whenever you're batting so that you can play with the fielder. You should not have fear of failure,” he explained.
Rahane, who has fallen out of favour with India selectors lately, still has the dream of making a comeback to the national side. His last appearance for India was against the West Indies during the Port of Spain Test in July 2023.
"Before making my Test debut, I played six seasons of domestic cricket, red-ball cricket. I still love the game. I'm still passionate about the game and the fire inside me is still alive to represent India."
Rahane credited IPL stint with Chennai Super Kings for his liberated mind. "When I played for CSK, they gave me the platform and the freedom to express myself. The message was clear from them, just go out there and play my game. I'm an aggressive batsman. When I made my debut in Ranji Trophy, I used to play too many shots. So, I always had that game."
"But whenever I played for other franchises, my role was different. At Rajasthan Royals, it was always about playing an anchor role. That's why I was playing with a strike rate of 120-130 and play till 15-16 overs. But with CSK, the message was go out there and back yourself,” he remarked.
Rahane believes there is another glorious cricketing season in him. "I don't want to get satisfied yet. It's always about getting better as a player. Try to learn from each and every game and go ahead all the time,” he concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)
