Chennai Super Kings batter Ajinkya Rahane is no longer part of the Indian cricket team but that hasn’t refrained him from dictating terms in his first T20 in over five months.
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Rahane, who played only nine matches for two different teams across the last two IPL seasons, was handed an IPL debut by CSK against Mumbai Indians tonight.
Had it not been for the respective unavailability of English all-rounders Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes, Rahane might not have been considered for IPL 2023 Match 12 at the Wankhede Stadium. However, with him getting a go, the 34-year old player’s no-nonsense approach didn’t let him waste the opportunity.
Rahane’s 41st T20 and 29th IPL half-century saw him scoring 61 (27) consisting of seven fours and three sixes. A 19-ball half-century has now become the fastest 50 of IPL 2023.
Ajinkya Rahane Retirement
Rahane, who hasn’t played an international match in almost 15 months now, hasn’t announced his retirement from the highest level. In fact, the notion around Rahane’s retirement has never done the round in the Indian media, not even “according to reports”.
Unlike some other modern-day cricketers, Rahane represented his state team in Mumbai in all the three formats of the Indian domestic circuit in the latest season. Rahane, who almost scored a couple of double centuries during Ranji Trophy 2022-23, seems determined in his approach regarding returning to the national side especially in the ancestral format.
Ajinkya Rahane IPL Career
13th highest run-scorer in the history of the biggest T20 tournament in the world, Rahane has scored 4,135 runs across 149 IPL innings at an average of 31.09 and a strike rate of 121.51. Readers must note that the right-handed batter has a couple of IPL centuries under his belt.
Having made his debut for MI in the inaugural season of the tournament, Rahane spent three seasons for his home franchise before playing for Rajasthan Royals (2011-2015 & 2018-2019), Rising Pune Supergiant (2016-2017), Delhi Capitals (2020-2021) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2022).
