IPL 2020: Ajinkya Rahane Ready To Take His New Challenge For Delhi Capitals
May 8, 2020 at 6:01 PM
The 31-year-old Indian Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who was traded by his long-time IPL team Rajasthan Royals (RR) to Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the 2020 IPL Auction, is taking the new challenge of his IPL career.
Ajinkya Rahane made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2008 edition and continued till 2010. In 2011, he joined Rajasthan Royals and continued the journey with this team till 2019 in two divisions (during Rajasthan Royals’ suspension, Rahane served for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016-2017).
Rahane not only played the most matches for Rajasthan Royals (106 games), also scored most runs for this team which was 3098 runs (average 35.60), including two centuries and 21 half-centuries. He also led that side in 24 matches between 2018 and 2019 where his team won nine matches and suffered 15 defeats.
During the pre-auction trading window, while Rajasthan Royals traded out Rahane to Delhi Capitals, they added the Delhi Capitals’ spinners Mayank Markande and Rahul Tewatia.
Rahane feels that the Delhi Capitals is a comfort factor for him due to having many Indian teammates. The right-handed batsman is ready for this new challenge.
Rahane told TOI, “It’s a new challenge. I’ve played with many of the Indian players in Delhi so there already is a comfort factor, knowing so many of them. We are a good unit and looking forward to having a good season.”
Ajinkya Rahane talked about Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar
Rahane played with the legendary Indian cricketers Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar during both the international and IPL careers (played with Tendulkar for MI and Dravid for RR). The Indian Test vice-captain called them his role models in both on and off the fields.
Rahane said, “It’s always nice to be spoken about in the same sentence as Rahul Dravid. Both have been my role models for the way they played the game and for the way they are as human beings. Game wise both (of them) helped me at various stages of my career, but I always try to emulate them off the field too.”
IPL 13 or IPL 2020 was initially scheduled between 29th March and 24th May 2020. However, the coronavirus pandemic has forced to postpone this tournament, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still clueless about the future of the IPL 2020.