Ajinkya Rahane Hits Back at Critics After KKR’s Defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad

On Thursday’s Indian Premier League fixture at Eden Gardens in 2026, the Kolkata Knight Riders played against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Kolkata Knight Riders lost the match by 65 runs. The captain of KKR, Rahane, had an unfortunate day with the bat as he scored just 8 runs in 10 deliveries.

Rahane said, "My strike rate is the best it has been since 2023. Those who are talking about it probably haven't been watching the matches or have a specific agenda against me. They don't like me playing. They don't like watching me play. I think they're jealous of the success I've achieved."

The KKR captain said, "I'm not too worried. My intention was the same. Sometimes, as a batsman, you lose your flow. Those who are talking either don't understand the game or want me to play a different kind of innings. They didn't expect Ajinkya Rahane to improve so much. I'm happy they're talking about me, whether positive or negative. Let them talk. I know what I'm doing. I know what I've done before. I trust myself rather than thinking about what others say. Whoever is talking about this, let them talk."