India, March 29 -- Ajinkya Rahane gave Kolkata Knight Riders exactly the kind of opening statement captains dream of, carving out 67 off 40 balls against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede and, in the process, registering the highest score by a KKR captain against MI in IPL history. The innings came at a strike rate of 167.50, included four fours and six sixes, and pushed past Gautam Gambhir's previous KKR captain's high of 64 against Mumbai from 2016. Kevin Pietersen's reaction on X was brief but telling: "I've always loved watching Jinks Rahane bat."

It was the kind of post that fit the knock. Rahane did not merely score quickly; he scored with the sort of control and timing that has long defined how other cricketers see him.

KKR had arri...