Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has asserted that Ajinkya Rahane is an “absolute team man” and that his focus in the IPL is to win the title with KKR and not thinking about his Test comeback.
Ajinkya Rahane, who was dropped from India’s Test team ahead of the Sri Lanka series, was bought by KKR for his base price of 1 crore at the mega-auction. He started off IPL 2021 in sparkling fashion, playing an entertaining knock of 44 runs off 34 balls, which included 6 fours and a six, setting the tone of KKR’s run-chase.
“Knowing Ajinkya, he has been someone who has never played to prove anything to anyone. He is someone who has played for the fact that he enjoys playing his game and with utmost desire to do well for his team. He is an absolute team man. If there was one player who would stand out and you can consider a proper team man it is Ajinkya,” Abhishek Nayar said in a virtual press conference.
Regarding the Test comeback, Nayar reckoned Ajinkya Rahane has the calibre and he showed it straightaway by slamming a hundred in the Ranji Trophy earlier this season. Nayar contended that Rahane’s full attention in this IPL is to contribute to KKR and the senior batsman is not pondering over using the IPL opportunity to get a Test recall.
“In terms of making a comeback, he (Rahane) always has the calibre. When he came back to the domestic side after playing Test cricket, he got a first-class hundred. He is someone who has always got runs. In the IPL, he is someone who has always been successful. I don’t think he is approaching the IPL to make a comeback; I think he is approaching the IPL to help KKR win the title,” Nayar added.
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