Ajinkya Rahane struggled in Chennai’s clash with Mumbai at Wankhede Stadium. He was dismissed cheaply. The CSK batter scored just five runs. Rahane faced only eight deliveries. It was a high-octane encounter between the two giants. His dismissal came as a setback for Chennai.
Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin Ravindra opened the innings, with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad coming in at number three. Ajinkya Rahane began the innings for the first time since 2022.
Mohammad Nabi had Rahane on edge in the opening over of the innings, while Gerald Coetzee made things difficult for the right-handed batsman. The speedster drew repeated dot balls from Rahane, putting the batsman under strain. Rahane felt compelled to challenge him given the field constraints.
However, his attempt to lift Coetzee beyond the 30-yard line was unsuccessful because the ball struck him high on the bat. Hardik Pandya then took the easiest of catches at mid-on, bringing CSK’s misguided attempt to an end.
Spectators expressed disappointment, stating Ajinkya Rahane’s chances seemed slim. His lackluster performance persisted throughout the current season. Rahane did not bat when Chennai Super Kings triumphed against Kolkata Knight Riders at Chepauk due to a calf niggle.
Here are some reactions on Twitter:
“Rahane is finished, last year was a Fluke season for him. He will get unsold next year,” one tweet read.
“CSK fans this is how betrayed we felt when Rahane played that knock in the T20 WC semis in Wankhede,” one fan opined.
“What was the point of that Rahane promotion,” one user remarked.
CSK Gaining Momentum After Ajinkya Rahane’s Quick Exit in IPL 2024
CSK were reduced to 8/1 as Rahane was dismissed in 1.4 overs. Ruturaj Gaikwad relieved the pressure with a six off Mohammed Nabi in the third over. Gaikwad and Ravindra dealt with Bumrah’s first over cautiously before moving on to face Coetzee and Akash Madhwal to complete the powerplay.
CSK are now at 48/1 after six overs. Gaikwad is in fine form, having scored 29 runs off 17 deliveries, and Ravindra will aim to get going in the middle overs.