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."

Since IPL 2023, among Indian batsmen, only Abhishek (176.56) has a better strike rate than Rahane (167.78) in the powerplay. The problem for Rahane is that his strike rate drops after the powerplay, and that's why he's criticized.

Rahane, who scored 67 runs off 40 balls in the season opener against Mumbai Indians, failed to deliver against SRH, leading the team to their second consecutive defeat. Chasing a target of 227, KKR were bowled out for 161 in 16 overs.