Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane also failed to keep his emotions, especially after his team lost to Mumbai Indians by six wickets, especially because their highest-priced acquisition, Cameron Green, was not an option to bowl. KKR had already banked a very impressive 220, but could not stand it as MI pursued it with power.

Rahane noted that a medium pace of Green would have given depth to the bowling attack that lacked experience. Nevertheless, he clarified that it was not in the control of the franchise to make the decision and pointed out outright that these questions needed to be addressed to Cricket Australia. He was also optimistic that Green would be back bowling soon, and this would enable KKR to be in a better position in terms of team balance in future matches.

“Hopefully Green starts to bowl soon”: Ajinkya Rahane eyes better balance ahead

The game was characterized by an authoritative opening strike by Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton, who scored 148 runs in 72 balls. Their violent style shattered the bowling unit of KKR, where mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy was not effective, and the pacers could not create any impact.

Although the victory had been lost, Rahane attempted to focus on the positive aspect of it, referring to it as a learning curve for his young bowling team. He also assured fans that he was fit after temporarily quitting the field during the pursuit, saying that he had cramps and not a serious injury. Rahane, who was satisfied with his own performance, which included 67 off 41 balls, even joked that he still felt young.

MI skipper Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, was elated because his team won a match after 13 seasons. He gave the bowlers credit for limiting KKR to less than an overwhelming total and supported his team to pursue 220 as a manageable target in contemporary cricket.

Pandya went in raving about his openers, with Rohit being elegant and Rickelton stable and consistent. He has defined their partnership as being no less than exceptional, as they established the pace of a comfortable hunt and a flawless beginning of the campaign.