Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 3 (ANI): Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Ramandeep Singh hailed skipper Ajinkya Rahane for his consistency and opened up on following the footsteps of star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, for improving his bowling.

Ahead of the clash between 2024 IPL finalists KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Ramandeep was speaking in a video posted by Star Sports on their official X handle. He was speaking on the 'Knights Club' programme on JioHotstar.

Speaking about Rahane, Ramandeep said, 'What I admire about him is consistency. In T20s, consistency is difficult. But he has been so good. We have talked about it. He tells us that he keeps his cricket based on his basics. He developed his drive over the cover, straight down the ground. There is an environment in KKR which is role clarity.'

So far in IPL 2025, Rahane has scored 85 runs in three innings at an average of 28.33, with a strike rate of 160.37 and best score of 56. Since 2023, when he was bought by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rahane has found a second wind in his T20 career. Since then, he has made 1,297 runs in 47 matches and 41 innings at an average of 34.13 and a strike rate of almost 150, with nine half-centuries and best score of 98. He last played a T20I for India in August 2016 during the T20 World Cup semifinal against West Indies, which India lost.

Ramandeep, who has played two matches for India and scored 15 runs and taken a wicket, said about developing himself as a finisher, 'Hardik has been doing it for India for a long time. I am trying to walk in his footsteps. I am working on his bowling and improving on it. If god willing, results will follow.'

Last year, Ramandeep emerged as one of the most promising young stars, scoring 125 runs in nine innings at an average of 31.25 and a strike rate of over 201, with best score of 35. He is also a handy pacer. In 69 T20s, he has made 668 runs in 47 innings at an average of 24.74 and a strike rate of over 170, with two half-centuries. He has also taken 22 wickets at an average of 17.27. (ANI)