Indications were quite strong that the out-of-form Indian veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane would struggle to find a bid at the IPL 2022 Mega Auction in Bangalore. Against expectations, two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders signed the 33-year-old for a base sum of INR 1 crore on the second day of the process.
Looking for opening batters and captaincy options, the Kolkata based franchise raised the paddle for Rahane. With no direct competitor emerging, they got their player for the upcoming season of Indian Premier League.
Soon, Rahane made it a point to express a sense of gratitude towards the franchise and their ownership group for showing faith in his capabilities at a time when his stocks had seemingly fallen.
In a video posted over KKR’s official Instagram handle, the 33-year-old was seen thanking the franchise for their support and said he is “really excited to join the Galaxy of Knights”.
“Hi everyone. I am really happy and excited to join the KKR family. Thank you so much for showing faith in me. I know the team has been doing really well in the last couple of seasons and I am sure we as a team will do well in this season as well. Also, I am really excited to join the Galaxy of Knights. Cheers.”
Rahane entered the IPL 2022 mega auction after being released by Delhi Capitals following a two-year stint. Considered a back-up opener by DC, the right-hander played only 11 matches across 2020 and 2021 editions of the IPL and made just 121 runs at a strike-rate of 105.21.
His nine innings for the Capitals featured one score of fifty or more, and thus, the ever-improving Delhi franchise had no hesitation in letting him go.
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Their decision came at a time when Rahane has also been struggling for form in the Indian jersey. A Test specialist, the Mumbai right-hander has gone through an extended patch of inconsistency. Rahane’s 35 Test innings since the start of 2020 have seen him compile just 819 runs at an average of 24.08.
The stint with KKR offers Rahane a chance to open up his shoulders at the top of the order and rejuvenate his dwindling career.
