Ajinkya Rahane Joins Elite 500-Plus Club in IPL History

Rahane's Milestone Performance Against Gujarat Titans

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India] - On April 21, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane marked a significant milestone by becoming the sixth player to surpass 500 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) during a match against Gujarat Titans (GT).

Rahane reached this achievement with a stellar performance, hitting five boundaries in his impressive half-century. He now holds a total of 502 fours across 193 matches, joining an elite group that includes Shikhar Dhawan (768), Virat Kohli (732), David Warner (664), Rohit Sharma (609), and Suresh Raina (506).

During KKR's chase of a challenging 199-run target, Rahane stood out as the sole performer, as his teammates struggled to make an impact. He kept the innings alive by capitalizing on GT's loose deliveries, but unfortunately, he lacked adequate support from his fellow players.

His innings came to an end in the 13th over when Washington Sundar outsmarted him. Anticipating Rahane's aggressive approach, Sundar bowled outside off, leading to a stumping by Jos Buttler that sealed KKR's fate.

This season, Rahane has faced challenges against spin bowling, scoring only 100 runs off 81 balls, with five dismissals and an average of 20.0, while maintaining a dot ball percentage of 30.1.

Following Rahane's departure, Andre Russell and Rinku Singh attempted to rally KKR towards victory. Russell showcased his boundary-hitting prowess but ultimately fell to Rashid Khan. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who came in as an impact substitute, managed to hit a few boundaries but could not avert the defeat. GT successfully defended their total, defeating KKR by a convincing 39 runs.