Ajinkya Rahane delivered an outstanding performance in the first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semifinal against Baroda. Rahane opened for Mumbai at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and scored an impressive 98 runs. His aggressive innings featured multiple boundaries as Mumbai successfully chased the 159-run target with ease.
This performance marked Rahane’s third consecutive score of over 80 runs this season. He formed a strong partnership with skipper Shreyas Iyer after Hardik Pandya dismissed Prithvi Shaw for just eight runs. Rahane and Iyer added 88 quick runs together, with Iyer eventually departing after scoring 46 runs. Rahane, however, remained resilient until his dismissal by Abhimanyu Singh, missing out on a century.
Rahane’s consistent form has been evident throughout the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the quarterfinals against Vidarbha, he scored 85 runs off just 45 balls at a striking rate of 186.67. This helped Mumbai successfully chase a target of 222 runs and secure a six-wicket victory. In his previous game against Andhra, Rahane made 95 runs from 54 balls, aiding Mumbai in chasing a target of 230 runs.
Rahane’s 98-run innings against Baroda included 11 boundaries and five sixes from just 56 balls. This season, he achieved five fifties and maintained a third consecutive strong performance. His overall season scores include 13, 52, 68, 22, 95, 84, and 98 runs. With 432 runs at an average of 61.71 and a striking rate of 169.41, Rahane is the top run-getter this season.
In terms of T20 statistics, Rahane now holds 48 fifties and two centuries. He has accumulated 6,815 runs at an average of 29 and a striking rate of over 123. Additionally, the veteran batter has hit 160 T20 sixes in his career.
Rahane’s recent form has ignited discussions about his potential leadership role with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming IPL season. The conversation about his captaincy prospects follows KKR’s decision to part ways with Shreyas Iyer, who was later signed by Punjab Kings during the IPL auction.
