The 36-year-old is currently the top run-scorer in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
India and Mumbai batter Ajinkya Rahane is currently enjoying stellar form in the shortest format of the game ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season next year. Notably, Rahane was bought by defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at last month’s mega-auction for INR 1.5 crores.
The 36-year-old is currently the top run-scorer in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), amassing 432 runs in 7 innings at a stellar average of 61.71.
Rahane has now opened up on the secret behind this transition following a stellar knock of 98 (56) earlier today to help Mumbai beat Baroda and qualify for the SMAT Final. Speaking to Indian Express, Rahane credited a change in his mindset for the newfound success.
He said, “It’s just a mindset change. The way this format is going on throughout the world, we see the first six overs are really important. You have to capitalise on those first six overs. If the opener or top three bats well in the first six overs and gets a big score, it becomes really easy after the first six overs. It’s all about that. This format is all about expressing ourselves, playing with intent and I’m happy that it’s coming off really well.”
After being released by KKR ahead of the 2023 season, Rahane’s career seemed to be at crossroads. However, when CSK acquired him, it was clear he would need to adapt to a middle-order role, something he wasn’t familiar with. He excelled that season, achieving a strike rate of 172.49, the highest of his career.
In this year in SMAT too, he has been maintaining an impressive strike rate of 169.41.
He attributes this improvement to the role shift at CSK, where he transitioned from playing as an anchor to embracing his natural game—a change he believes unlocked his full potential as a T20 batsman.
The dynamic right-hander added, “The last two years have been really good for me. When I played for CSK, they gave me the platform and the freedom to express myself. The message was clear from them, just go out there and play my game. That’s my natural game. I always played with the intent that I’m an aggressive batsman. Whenever I played for other franchises, my role was different, I had to play anchor role.”
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