Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane is set to undergo an assessment by the team’s medical staff on Wednesday following a hand injury sustained while fielding during his side’s thrilling 14-run victory over Delhi Capitals (DC).
Despite the injury, Rahane played down its severity during the post-match presentation. “Not bad,” Rahane stated, reassuring fans and teammates alike. “I’ll be okay. I’ll be fine.” According to KKR allrounder Anukul Roy, Rahane received “a couple of stitches,” and the injury should heal in “two-three days.”
KKR’s next match is scheduled for May 4, where they will face Rajasthan Royals (RR) at home, and Rahane remains hopeful about his recovery in time for the game.
The injury occurred when Rahane was fielding at short cover, and a powerful shot from Faf du Plessis off Andre Russell struck his hand. The ball deflected to mid-off for a single, but Rahane immediately walked off the field to receive medical attention. He did not return to the field for the remainder of the match and had his hand heavily bandaged.
With vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer substituted out for Vaibhav Arora, KKR’s Impact Player, Sunil Narine was called into action to lead the team for the final nine overs of their bowling innings.
Rahane also praised Narine’s performance, particularly his final two overs in which he dismissed Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, and du Plessis. “204 on that wicket was good, but I thought we were 15 runs short, frankly. We were going really well as a batting unit. But again, when you’re chasing 204, as a fielding team, you’re always one or two wickets away, and that’s exactly what happened,” Rahane said.
With nine points from their first ten matches, KKR sits in seventh place, but Rahane remains confident. Reflecting on their 2021 play-off run, he emphasized the importance of focusing on the present. “That’s always been the talk when we are not doing well. But again, it’s in the past. For us, what’s important is staying in the moment, taking confidence from this game, and moving forward,” he concluded.
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