New Delhi: Despite losing the IPL 2023 opener against the defending champions Gujarat Titans, the four-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings have regained their flow with back-to-back wins against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians.
While Ruturaj Gaikwad has been brilliant with the bat, the spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Santner are leaving no stone unturned to trouble the batters.
When CSK clashed with their bitter rivals Mumbai Indians at their home ground, i.e. Wanhkede Stadium Mumbai, in the absence of their two big all-rounders – Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes, things were not looking good for their side but a thunderous performance of Indian batter Ajinky Rahane dazed everyone.
While chasing the target of 157, Rahane played a booming knock of 61 runs in just 27 balls with a thunderous strike rate of 225. 93. His innings contained seven fours and three sixes. CSK got a comfortable win in the match as they successfully chased the target in 18.1 overs with seven wickets to spare.
Rahane’s performance brought him a lot of praise. Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri, who spent plenty of time with him in the dressing room during his coaching tenure, praised him. Shastri applauded the Indian batter’s game spirit and termed him a “team man”.
“I loved Ajinkya Rahane’s innings. He was our captain in Australia, where I saw one of the greatest overseas hundreds by an Indian player. That will go right up with the very best, simply because of where India were at the start of the innings. He had taken over as captain, we were 36 all-out. On Boxing Day , to play like that, was fantastic,” Shastri told ESPNCricinfo.
“The timing, it was the purity of the innings was a treat to the eyes (against MI). Lovely shots, I’m glad for him. He’s such a team man. He’s captained India, whichever franchise or team he plays for, he might not be captain but you can be rest assured, you won’t get a better team man. Even if it comes to carrying water, or in dressing room, helping out someone. He’s a top-class example of the way the game should be played,” he added.
CSK will face Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals at the M. Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Wednesday.
