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What's the story?
The vice-captain of the Indian Test team Ajinkya Rahane has moved to Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2020 edition of IPL. Rahane's former team, Rajasthan Royals have acquired the services of Mayank Markande and Rahul Tewatia in return.
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The background
Delhi Capitals were in talks with Rajasthan Royals to get Ajinkya Rahane in their team since August. The Delhi-based franchise has been very active in the trade window as they have completed the most number of trades this year.
The Capitals had earlier brought Mayank Markande from MI after Sherfane Rutherford went the other way. They got Ravichandran Ashwin in the team as Jagadeesha Suchitch left for Kings XI Punjab. Last night, they traded Trent Boult to Mumbai Indians.
The heart of the matter
Ajinkya Rahane had been an integral part of Rajasthan Royals ever since the fourth edition of IPL. He was a part of Mumbai Indians before the fourth season though, he did not feature much. Rahane's move to Rajasthan allowed him to open the innings with Rahul Dravid and soon, the Mumbai-based batsman became a vital cog for RR.
He has played 140 IPL games, aggregating over 3000 runs at a fantastic average of 32.93. Rahane was the highest run-scorer for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2019. The Royals have acquired Rahul Tewatia and up-and-coming leg-spinner Mayank Markande in their squad.
Confirming this trade, the co-owner of Delhi Capitals Parth Jindal said:
“Rahul and Mayank are both extremely talented cricketers with a bright future ahead of them. I am confident they will excel at Rajasthan Royals. I am also extremely honoured to welcome one of India’s most stellar and consistent batsmen, Ajinkya Rahane, to the DC family. When the franchise underwent a revamp last year, a decision was made to keep Indian players at its core.”
He further added how the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant have uplifted the franchise while he also spoke about Ravichandran Ashwin. Jindal was optimistic that Rahane's inclusion will boost the team's chance in the approaching IPL season. He added:
"The result was there for everyone to see, with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma performing brilliantly for us, and complimenting the youth that DC has in Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Prithvi Shaw, among others. That thought process has continued for us this time around as well, as is evident in the signing of Ravichandran Ashwin, followed by that of Ajinkya Rahane. I am sure Rahane’s wealth of experience, and familiarity with the conditions will help Delhi Capitals go a long way in IPL 2020.”
It is interesting to note that Markande was a part of Mumbai Indians in IPL 2019. He moved to Delhi during the trade window and now, he has moved to Rajasthan Royals. With this, the leggie has become the first player to switch teams twice during the same trade window.
What's next?
Delhi Capitals have stacked their Indian contingent while Rajasthan Royals have bolstered their spin bowling department with this trade.
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