The Royals bought him in the 2012 season, at a time when Rahane was not even considered to be a T20 player. He finished the season as the leading run-getter for his team. He was also the highest run-getter in the 2013 Champions League T20.
This IPL season, he has already crossed the 300 run mark in just six games. Rahane is turning into an IPL run machine. Ironically though he has hit only 36 sixes in eight seasons of the tournament so far. That's 100 sixes less than Chris Gayle.
Gavaskar though pointed out, "He (Rahane) has shown that you don't need to be a power player."
Over the years, Rahul Dravid has been given a lot of credit for the way Rahane has matured as a player. Dravid, who captained the Royals before becoming team mentor, knows a thing or two about grabbing an opportunity with both hands. With Dravid guiding him, Rahane has transformed from a shy, longer format specialist into a player capable of batting at any position, in any format.
Is there a chink though in Rahane's armour? Dean Jones feels the Rajasthan opener can improve as a T20 player.
Jones told NDTV, "His strike rate right now is 121. We judge great T20 players not on averages but on strike rates and if he wants to be up there with the greats, he needs to get up to 125-130."
That doesn't seem out of Rahane's reach. Maybe he is already on his way to becoming a shorter format great. Not bad for someone who was at one time branded 'not a T20 player.'