Kolkata | Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has hit back at criticism around his strike rate, suggesting that there is a "certain agenda" and an element of "jealousy" behind the chatter.
Questions on his strike rate came up after KKR slumped to a 65-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Thursday. Chasing a steep 227, the home side never had any impactful partnership despite a promising start and folded for 161 in 16 overs to remain winless so far this season.
The loss placed the focus on Rahane's own performance and strike rate. The KKR skipper, who managed 8 off 10 balls on Thursday, was uncharacteristically sharp as he reacted to the criticism.
"My strike rate, I think I have one of the best strike rates so far from 2020. People who are talking about me, probably not watching the game or they have certain agenda against me. They don't like me playing," he said without mentioning anyone in specific in the post-match media interaction.
"They don't like to watch me play. The amount of success which I got, I guess they are jealous of me. I am not too worried."
Approaching 38, the out-of-favour India player has been a transformed batter and was Mumbai's top run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 391 runs from 10 innings at a strike rate of 161.57, finishing among the top five batters in the competition.
Rahane was also KKR's leading run-scorer last season despite a poor eighth place finish in their title defence. As a result, the franchise kept faith in him as its skipper.
But his middle-over slowdown has been a concern. Against Mumbai Indians in their opening game, Rahane cruised to 36 off 18 balls but only managed 31 off next 22 balls without a boundary.
"People who are talking, they don't understand the game and I think they want me to play a different kind of inning. They didn't expect that Ajinkya Rahane will basically improve his game this much. So I am happy they are talking about me, negative or positive either way.
"I am really happy that they are talking, let them talk. But batting-wise, partner-wise, it's been amazing. We have a very good partnership in Mumbai."
On his slow innings against SRH, Rahane said: "You guys know what I am doing. Just one bad innings. Not a bad innings, but my intent was that sometimes as a batter you don't get that rhythm, you don't get that flow."
Rahane further said the powerplay demands a fearless approach, even if it comes with occasional failures.
"For six overs, you always look to go fearless cricket. Play fearless cricket with freedom. At times, you will struggle. That's okay. It's important to accept. But I know what I am doing.
"I know what I did in the past and I back myself rather than thinking about it. Whoever is talking about me, let them talk."
KKR had got a superb start with Finn Allen smashing 28 off seven balls taking on David Payne but lack of partnerships and two horror run-outs both involving Angkrish Raghuvanshi proved costly.
"But, no excuses. We got a good start. In the first six overs, we were 78 (74) but lost that one extra wicket, Greeny's (Cameron Green) run out. Apart from that we were going really well.
"The middle overs were the crucial time for us and we needed those partnerships from the set batters and that just didn't happen. SRH executed the slower balls and the angles they used were really good."
Rahane further backed India's ace spinner Varun Chakravarthy as he continued to struggle and was made to bowl just two overs. Jharkhand's Anukul Roy doing the sixth bowler duty.
Chakravarthy returned figures of 0/31 after being hit for 25 runs in his opening over.
"Varun is a team man. He is going through that phase where he needs that support from each and everyone. Sometimes bowling just two overs can help a player. We want Varun's confidence throughout the tournament," Rahane said.
"Sometimes, you've got to see the mentality of the bowler, what he is going through. It's not compulsory to bowl four overs. If he's struggling, you've got to accept that he is struggling," he reasoned.
Anukul who was the player-of-the-series for Jharkhand in SMAT with 18 wickets and 303 runs.
"He is playing because he did really well in the Mushtaq Ali, he was the Man of the Series in the Mushtaq Ali. He can bowl in the powerplay and he can bowl in the middle overs," Rahane said.
KKR, who are yet to open their account, face Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants in their next two home games in less than a week and Rahane said they would have to regroup and perhaps find an extra batter.
