Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane plays a shot during an IPL match against Mumbai Indians. (AP photo) NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane dismissed the constant chatter surrounding his career and insisted that he is focusing on personal growth rather than proving his talent to critics.Rahane’s 67 off 40 balls against Mumbai Indians in their IPL clash on Sunday brought him back into the limelight, but the veteran batsman made it clear that outside opinions are of little relevance to him.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!“Let people talk about me. They have been talking about me since then, 20 years. Let them talk,” Rahane said when asked if his innings was a knock on a statement. “I’m not here to show anybody how talented I am and what my game is. People are watching. Let them watch. Let them talk.”
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Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard address MI fans at Aamchi Mumbai The 37-year-old, who last played for India in 2023, has faced sustained scrutiny, particularly after stepping down as captain in the Ranji Trophy in Mumbai and missing out on leadership roles in domestic white-ball tournaments. Still, Rahane stressed that he is still focused on developing as a cricketer.“I’m really happy, over the last 2-3 years I’ve improved my game in white ball formats. It’s important to grow as a cricketer and that’s what I’m trying to do. People will keep talking and let them talk,” he added.“Bumrah made the difference”Despite Rahane’s efforts, Kolkata fell short as Mumbai easily chased down 221. The captain revealed that cramps hampered him in the second half of the game.“I just had cramps. It’s a very bad feeling to sit out with cramps … but first I’m really happy with how I batted,” he said.Rahane also acknowledged the impact of Jasprit Bumrah, whose late overs restricted Kolkata from pushing the bigger unit.“We thought 220 was a good total, we were well on our way to 235-240, but those two overs from Bumrah made a big difference. That’s why he’s such a great bowler,” remarked Rahane.He admitted that KKR’s relatively inexperienced bowling attack will take some time to settle, especially with injuries affecting the balance of the team. “It’s challenging because our bowlers are inexperienced and some are injured, but it’s also an opportunity for others to step up and make a name for themselves,” he said.Rahane backed spinner Varun Chakravarthy and called for patience. “Every player goes through that phase… he shouldn’t think too much about what’s going on,” he added.
