Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) became the first team to qualify for the playoffs in the 2024 edition of the IPL and to seal the top two spot, after 10 years. Their penultimate league stage match against the Gujarat Titans was washed out due to incessant rain in Ahmedabad on Monday, May 13 and hence confirmed a top two spot and will now play their final league stage match against the Rajasthan Royals, who themselves are competing for the remaining spot in the top two on the points table.
Ahead of the Monday clash, Nitish Rana was invited for a pre-match interview. Rana missed 10 matches for KKR due to a finger injury before returning to the side in their previous clash against the Mumbai Indians. Asked to show his injury by Harsha Bhogle and how he was feeling, Rana came up with a hilarious response.
"Sir theek hai, but jo finger hai voh main dikha nahi sakta kyunki voh middle finger hai but haan pehle se abhi bahut better hai. Happy to be back in the team. Accha lag raha hai sir kyunki 10 match ke baad vaapas aaya hun. Mere liye tough tha because touchwood kabhi injury nahi hui aur kabhi itna baahar nahi baitha IPL mein (It's alright but since the finger is the middle one, I can't show it to you. But yeah, much better than before. Happy to be back in the team and feeling good to return after missing so many games because I have never experienced this because never got injured touchwood.)"
Watch the video here:
Rana said that he was happy that KKR management showed faith in him and brought him back despite missing so many games suggesting that he still adds so much value to the side despite Angkrish Raghvanshi doing well at No 3 spot. "I think that [missing games] was the most frustrating part because you know that you can perform out there. From outside it feels like cricket is very easy, you feel like you can do everything but the game is played between those 22 yards only. So yeah it was tough because it hasn't happened with me that I'll have to sit on the bench and watch the game but I'm thankful to KKR management for showing faith in me that I can make a difference even after missing 10 games," Rana added.
The last time KKR finished in the top two, they went on to win the title on both occasions in 2012 and 2014.
