Rahane set the tone for Rajasthan

Apr 07, 2012 - M.A. Yousuf Baba

After a not-so-dramatic start, this year’s IPL eventually witnessed its first glittering performance, thanks to Ajinkya Rahane’s 98 in the match between Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab at Jaipur.

Rahane put up a solid performance against the Kings XI on Friday evening, tearing apart their bowling unit right from the word go. He was unlucky to miss out on a well-deserved hundred after placing his team on course for their first win with a huge total on board. The fans were given value for their money as they witnessed some brilliant batting display from Rahane.

Rahane was at his brutal best, first hitting the Australian James Faulkner for two boundaries and then hammering fellow Indian Praveen Kumar to four boundaries in the very third over of the game. Rahane seemed to be enjoying the partnership with the captain and senior pro Rahul Dravid, giving the team a good start.

Taking advantage of a not-so-impressive bowling unit of the Kings, Rahane kept the momentum going as he got the boundaries at will. He was hitting them cleanly and elegantly. The straight six off Paul Valthaty was a treat to watch. Towards the latter part of the innings he upped his aggression as he leapt from 72 to 95 with five fours in successive overs. However, the nervous nineties got the better of him as he was bowled by Faulkner on 98, after being kept quiet for a few deliveries. Nevertheless, it was a masterful innings. The knock will certainly inspire other Indian youngsters to take the centrestage in the coming matches.

— The blogger is pursuing his B. Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering at the Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology.

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