Mumbai Indians came into the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore under tremendous pressure. They had lost three games in a row and were fast slipping out of the Indian Premier League semi-final race.
Mumbai Indians came into the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore under tremendous pressure. They had lost three games in a row and were fast slipping out of the Indian Premier League semi-final race.
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Ajinkya Rahane celebrates his fifty against RCB yesterday. |
The lack of runs was hurting them the most and a lot of the blame for it lay on the under-performing youngsters in the team. As one of Mumbai's most successful batsmen of the season, Ajinkya Rahane had a reputation to defend.
He was tried in various roles and hadn't come good. He was close to being termed as someone not fit for Twenty20. Rahane, however, turned things around for himself and his team yesterday with a fine unbeaten half-century at the St George's Park, helping Mumbai Indians to a 16-run win.
The win threw MI a lifeline as they moved one spot up to sixth on the table with nine points from 10 games. Mumbai Indians' total of 157 for two was built around Rahane's unbeaten 62 (49 balls) and his 104-run stand with JP Duminy (59 not out).
The feature of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy star's innings was that he stuck to his strength and proved that you don't need to be a big-hitter to be a T20 success.
Batting at No 3, he got his runs with correct, orthodox strokes. The feature of his batting being the way he handled the spinners. He neutralised the two left-arm spinners, K Appanna and Roloef van der Merwe with fine footwork to play inside out shots and showed gumption in going after Anil Kumble. "This innings has given me the confidence that if I play my normal game, I can do well in this format," Rahane told
MiD DAY.
Asked if he was feeling the pressure coming into the game, he said, "I wouldn't say I was feeling any pressure.
I was hoping to stay clam and was focussed on playing to my strengths. I was determined that if I get an opportunity then I would capitalise on it. Everything turned out well for me today."
"My plan was not to panic trying to speed things up. I was prepared to wait for the loose ball," he added.
Rahane and JP struck a good understanding and their running between the wickets was impressive. "We wanted to keep the scoreboard moving with singles and twos and punish the loose balls. It worked. It's a great feeling.
That I have contributed to it is like icing on the cake."
