'Instructions from him were pretty simple: back your game, play to your strengths' - Ajinkya Rahane on MS Dhoni backing his gameplan

Ajinkya Rahane revealed that he was encouraged by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni before the match against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Rahane made his debut for CSK due to Moeen Ali's illness. He, however, grabbed this opportunity with both his hands by slamming 61 off 27 balls to set up a comfortable run chase for CSK which they finished with a seven-wicket win for CSK with 11 balls to spare.

According to Rahane, CSK read how the wicket was playing and how the ball was acting in Wankhede while they were bowling. The 34-year-old further added that when chasing 150 or 160, it's critical to bat with intent in the first six overs. Henceforth, when he stepped in, he played his usual shots and backed his game.

Rahane went on to say that every player is unique and that he does not want to be like anybody else. He went on to say that he wants to back himself and that it's all about reminding himself that he can simply be Ajinkya Rahane and play within his own zone.

"Every player is different. I don't want to be someone else; I just want to be Ajinkya Rahane. The way I know how I play, my strengths, my timing. I just want to back myself. I've never tried to be someone else. It's all about trying to remind myself that if I can just be Ajinkya Rahane and play like Ajinkya Rahane, I think I'll be fine," Rahane stated.

It's all about knowing your game and, when you get an opportunity, just back that game: Rahane

Furthermore, the flamboyant batter spoke about the captain MS Dhoni who had encouraged him to back himself and his game. He iterated that Dhoni instructed the team players during preparation camp before the IPL to back their game and play to their strengths rather than trying to do something else totally.

"The preparation we had as a team before IPL started… we came to Chennai on March 2. Mahi bhai was there and the instructions from him were pretty simple: back your game, play to your strengths rather than trying to do something else. It's all about knowing your game and, when you get an opportunity, just back that game," Rahane was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.

Coming to the match, CSK skipper MS Dhoni invited MI to bat first after winning the toss. CSK restricted MI to 157 runs on the board. For the visitors, Ravindra Jadeja bagged three wickets to derail Mumbai's innings. Notably, he took a blinder of a catch to dismiss Cameron Green. In reply, CSK lost their opener, Devon Conway, in the first over itself as he got cleaned up by Jason Behrendorff. Thereafter, Ajinkya Rahane went all guns blazing and stitched a fantastic 82-run stand for the second wicket with Ruturaj Gaikwad in just seven overs. Not just that, he also smacked 23 runs off Arshad Khan's single over to set the stage on fire. 

Eventually, Shivam Dube and Ambati Rayudu put up some valuable contributions with Gaikwad as CSK cruised to a comfortable victory against their arch-rivals.