Watson as cool as Dravid: Rahane
RR batsman admires his skipper’s ability to stay calm under pressure
In the end, it was the birthday boy, James Faulkner, who stole the limelight, but it was Ajinkya Rahane’s 59-ball 72 that laid the platform for Rajasthan Royals’ nerve-wracking Super Over win over Kolkata Knight Riders.
As the victory celebrations reached their zenith, Rahane emerged demurely from the change room and spoke to iplt20.com about his team’s sensational win. He also spoke of the team’s changed balance without Rahul Dravid as a player and compared the captaincy of Dravid and Shane Watson.
Here are excerpts from his interview:
You started the UAE leg with a 50 and now finishing it with another one. And what a win!
What a game! Absolutely nail-biting. I am elated with the team’s performance. Everybody held their nerve in tense conditions. The credit goes to the bowlers for the way they pulled the game in our favour in the end overs. I am very happy for all the bowlers, particularly James Faulkner. He actually brought us back in the game with that three-wicket over. He absolutely deserves his Man of the Match award, which is a great birthday present for him.
Did you get tempted to ask the captain if you could go bat in the Super Over?
I actually wanted to tell him that but then I thought it was wise to back Stuart (Binny). Although he got out without scoring in the match, he is a big hitter and it was only logical to back him for something like a Super Over.
Has it been a very different experience for you to open with Karun Nair after opening with Dravid last year?
It is different but Rahul bhai and Shane Watson have already spoken to the new guys about what their roles are in the team’s batting set-up. That makes my job easy to stick to my own game. If I play the first six overs off, I try to stay till the end and maintain the run-rate by hitting the loose balls.
Has your approach changed in any way now that you don’t have Dravid at the other end?
No, thanks to Rahul bhai, it hasn’t. At the beginning of the season, he told me specifically not to change my game just because my opening partner is different. He said, ‘Don’t try to be someone else. Be yourself and bat like yourself’.
Is this the time when you take the first step towards being a senior batsman in the team?
I am not really thinking on those lines but I do feel I have some more responsibility on the batting front now that Rahul bhai is not playing. I love added responsibilities as they make me work hard, and in turn, help me improve as a cricketer.
How’s it been playing under Shane Watson this year?
He has been wonderful. In so many ways he is very similar to Rahul bhai as captain. Like him, Shane too is very calm in the middle and makes his decisions with a cool head. They both have the ability to hold their nerves in pressure situations and take their own time in making the right decision.
As the victory celebrations reached their zenith, Rahane emerged demurely from the change room and spoke to iplt20.com about his team’s sensational win. He also spoke of the team’s changed balance without Rahul Dravid as a player and compared the captaincy of Dravid and Shane Watson.
Here are excerpts from his interview:
You started the UAE leg with a 50 and now finishing it with another one. And what a win!
What a game! Absolutely nail-biting. I am elated with the team’s performance. Everybody held their nerve in tense conditions. The credit goes to the bowlers for the way they pulled the game in our favour in the end overs. I am very happy for all the bowlers, particularly James Faulkner. He actually brought us back in the game with that three-wicket over. He absolutely deserves his Man of the Match award, which is a great birthday present for him.
Did you get tempted to ask the captain if you could go bat in the Super Over?
I actually wanted to tell him that but then I thought it was wise to back Stuart (Binny). Although he got out without scoring in the match, he is a big hitter and it was only logical to back him for something like a Super Over.
Has it been a very different experience for you to open with Karun Nair after opening with Dravid last year?
It is different but Rahul bhai and Shane Watson have already spoken to the new guys about what their roles are in the team’s batting set-up. That makes my job easy to stick to my own game. If I play the first six overs off, I try to stay till the end and maintain the run-rate by hitting the loose balls.
Has your approach changed in any way now that you don’t have Dravid at the other end?
No, thanks to Rahul bhai, it hasn’t. At the beginning of the season, he told me specifically not to change my game just because my opening partner is different. He said, ‘Don’t try to be someone else. Be yourself and bat like yourself’.
Is this the time when you take the first step towards being a senior batsman in the team?
I am not really thinking on those lines but I do feel I have some more responsibility on the batting front now that Rahul bhai is not playing. I love added responsibilities as they make me work hard, and in turn, help me improve as a cricketer.
How’s it been playing under Shane Watson this year?
He has been wonderful. In so many ways he is very similar to Rahul bhai as captain. Like him, Shane too is very calm in the middle and makes his decisions with a cool head. They both have the ability to hold their nerves in pressure situations and take their own time in making the right decision.
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