Need to respect Steve Smith as a player: Ajinkya Rahane

After being in the limelight much due to the Ball-tampering incident, former Australian captain Steve Smith has faced the ire of his fans and the public after he accepted his mistake. Though, his fellow teammate at Rajasthan Royals who would be taking up his duties after Smith’s was banned from playing this year’s IPL, Ajinkya Rahane still counts his contribution to the game and wants the fans give him the due respect as a batsman.

‘Jinx’, who will be leading the Royals was ecstatic to join the camp as he looks forward to a successful IPL stint with his former franchise. In his chat with the media, he thanked ‘his family’ (the franchise) for “appointing me as the captain of the side”. A role that he would relish and considers it to be a challenge as, “I love challenges and am excited about the prospect.”

Still need to respect Smith

On being asked on his take at the punishments imposed on Smith, Indian Test vice-captain felt it right not to make a certain comment, “I cannot comment on that because it was completely the ICC and Cricket Australia’s discretion. Whatever had to happen has happened. CA and ICC took their decisions,” Rahane defended.

In his views, the Australian skipper has been a great ambassador of the game and deserves better treatment with due respect given his contribution to the game has been immense as a Test player.

“It’s time to respect Smith as a batsman and as a player. With the kind of record he has, especially in the Tests, that’s best for now,” he further added.

“Yes we would miss him but we have a replacement in Heinrich Klaasen. I feel it is an added responsibility and also a big challenge for me.”

Prospects with the team

It will be for the first time that Rahane will take up the responsibility as a full-time captain for the entire season. He expects the team to perform well as the focus remains to “Play good cricket and give our 100 per cent”. Aware of the dynamics of the game, he mentioned, “T20 is a format where the game can change within an over or two. So we would try not to take any game lightly.”

The Mumbaikar joined the squad in Jaipur and was nostalgic on his return to the city. “It’s a happy feeling coming to Jaipur. I received some positive vibes when I entered the city. The mind now automatically wants to bat. And we have a good record here too. But it’s like a new start now. Surely the home games will be very important but the away games are equally important,” he concluded.

The Jaipur based franchise will kick-start their campaign against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in an away game on April 9.

Here is how the RR squad looked like after the auction:

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