Thoughts of stepping down never came to me, says Ajinkya Rahane
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane said thoughts of stepping down never crossed his mind despite the side’s disastrous start to the IPL season, adding that it is important to show character when the team is struggling.
The former champions endured a miserable start to their IPL campaign, losing five of their opening six matches and sinking to the bottom of the points table.
However, they staged a remarkable turnaround by winning six of their final eight games, briefly reviving hopes of a playoff qualification before eventually falling short.
“For me, I’ve played cricket all my life with a good attitude. Character has always been very important for me,” Rahane said at the post-match press conference after the team’s last game of the season.
KKR lost by 40 runs against Delhi Capitals on Sunday.
“I’m never one to back down. When the team is down, when the team is struggling, it’s very important to show your character at that time. I am never one that steps down. When the team is struggling, it is important to show your character.
“Yes, there’s pressure. It’s very natural but the pressure is on those who are privileged. Not everyone can handle the pressure. For me, it was important to stay strong and not panic. It’s very easy when you lose 5-6 matches, your focus shifts to the past and the future.”
Rahane himself endured an underwhelming campaign with the bat. The veteran opener scored 335 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 135. His strike rate outside the Powerplay was also among the lowest in the competition.
“It’s important that you stay in that moment. Things can turn around any time. We’ve seen in a lot of matches and series how things change. It’s very important to maintain that attitude and character. I’m never one to back down. Those thoughts (of stepping down) never came to me,” added Rahane, who famously led the Indian Test team to the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar title after a disastrous 36 all out. Wanted to give time to Indian bowlers
KKR’s campaign was disrupted even before it began, with several key players, including pacers Harshit Rana and Akash Deep, suffering injuries. The franchise was also forced to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman on instructions of the BCCI in the wake of diplomatic tensions between the two countries, leaving their bowling attack severely depleted.
Rahane said the setbacks prompted him to back domestic Indian talent.
“We lost a few players during the season and it’s challenging all the time, but I was not looking at that. I was confident about and wanted to give time to the Indian bowlers. I knew that, I was confident that if we back them, if we give them that time, they will do really well under pressure.”
The injuries ultimately opened the door for spin all-rounder Anukul Roy and pacer Kartik Tyagi, both of whom seized their opportunities impressively.
Tyagi emerged as one of KKR’s standout performers with 18 wickets, the third-highest tally among Indian bowlers in the league stage. While Roy picked up nine wickets in 12 innings and also remained unbeaten in two successful run chases.
“When we sat down at the start of the season, I thought, this is a great time for Anukul to come in and play every game,” Rahane said.
“He had a fantastic Syed Mushtaq Ali season. I believe that whoever has a good season in the domestic league, you carry that confidence forward. Anukul Roy just did that.
“Talking about Kartik Tyagi, he was clear. We played practice games - two, three practice matches. He was really clear about his thought process. You will go for runs as a bowler but as long as you’re clear what you want to do for your team, that’s what matters.
“For these two guys, this is just the beginning. I’m sure they have the potential to do really well in the future and go and play at the highest level as well,” he added.
