On April 8, MS Dhoni led the Chennai Super Kings to a resounding victory over the Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2023 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium, one of his favourite hunting grounds. CSK won by seven wickets after chasing down a 158-run goal in only 18.1 overs thanks to some excellent bowling from Mitchell Santner and Ravindra Jadeja and some outstanding batting from debutant Ajinkya Rahane.
Ruturaj Gaikwad ensured he maintained his form after Ajinkya Rahane’s second-fastest fifty for CSK by scoring an undefeated 40 off 36 balls as CSK easily crossed the finish line.
For the unversed, it was the Chennai Super Kings’ first victory over their bitter rival at the Wankhede Stadium in five years (their previous victory was in April 2018).
IPL 2023 will no doubt be highly anticipated by the crowd, as this year it is no different. Ajinkya Rahane who has scored the fastest fifty of this IPL season has a great chance to score well in this tournament. The Indian batsman has been a consistent performer in the IPL, and here are three reasons why he could have his best season yet in 2023.
Batting at the Top of the Order
Ajinkya Rahane has established himself as a capable batsman in the IPL throughout the years. From starting the inning to entering at No. 5 or No. 6, he has been impacted in various spots. Rahane has, however, primarily batted in the middle order during the past few seasons, which has prevented him from speaking his mind without restraint.
Rahane is given the chance to bat in the top order for the CSK in IPL 2023, which may provide him more freedom to perform and lead to more runs scored. If given the chance, he could succeed in that position because he has already demonstrated his ability to bat at the top of the order.
Ajinkya Rahane coming off a great domestic season
Ajinkya Rahane is an important part of the home team and has repeatedly shown why he is valuable. He has been a great team player and has played vital innings under pressure. His experience playing in the longer game format may help him maintain composure under pressure in the T20 format. He can play the anchor position if necessary and has good technique.
Rahane had a fantastic first-class season, scoring 884 runs at an impressive average of 58.93, including three tonnes and a fifty in 16 innings. While his 50-over record (263 runs at 65.75) is also impressive, his T20 record was a little questionable with only 112 runs at 16 from eight appearances.
Motivated to Prove Himself
IPL career for Ajinkya Rahane has been uneven thus far. Although he has put on some memorable performances, there have also been seasons where he fell short of his ability. Rahane might be driven in IPL 2023 to live up to expectations and silence his detractors.
He is an accomplished player who has consistently performed well for India in Test cricket. He might be a great asset to his side if he can carry over that form into the IPL. Rahane might want to make a statement and solidify his position as one of the top T20 players in the world.
Also Read: IPL 2023: Top 3 Captain Picks For SRH vs PBKS Fantasy Team
