Three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders lost their second match on the trot in IPL 2026. Having been outplayed by the Mumbai Indians in their season opener, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side slipped to a 65-run loss at their home ground, Eden Gardens, against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, a team that was also coming into the game on the back of a huge loss against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The Performance
KKR failed to chase a target of 227 runs against an inexperienced bowling attack that SRH had at their disposal, despite an attacking half-century from the bat of Angkrish Raghuvanshi and a fiery start provided by Finn Allen.
Deja Vu
The match against SRH was the second instance in as many matches where the KKR batters have either failed to post an above-par total or have failed to chase what appeared to be a manageable total. One of the reasons that many people feel for both losses has been the lack of intent from the captain, Ajinkya Rahane, who wasn’t able to convert the fifty that he notched up in the first match into a big score against MI and was dismissed after scoring just eight runs off ten balls in the previous match.
The Reaction
Rahane was asked about the same in the post-match press conference after KKR’s 65-run loss against SRH, responding to which he said, “I think I have one of the best strike rates so far from 2023,” he said. “People who are talking about me (are) probably not watching the game or they have a certain agenda against me. They don’t like me playing. They don’t like to watch me play.”
The Numbers
Rahane’s claim is also backed by numbers, with him being at number four in the list of batters with the highest strike rate in the first six overs in the IPL since 2023.
The Approach
While continuing his criticism of the people who are questioning his approach, Ajinkya Rahane said that he is happy with the way he is batting, and the people who are doing so either don’t understand the game or want to see him bat in a different manner.
Captain’s Corner
In the words of Rahane, “The amount of success which I got, I guess they are jealous of me. I am not too worried. You guys know what I am doing. Just one bad innings…not a bad inning, but my intent was there. Sometimes as a batter, you don’t get that rhythm, you don’t get that flow. People who are talking, either they don’t understand the game (or) I think they want me to play a different kind of innings.
“They didn’t expect that Ajinkya Rahane will basically prove his game this much. So I am happy they are talking about me, negative or positive, either way. I am really happy that they are talking. Let them talk.”
The Conditions
Talking about the wicket, Rahane was of the opinion that the wicket was good to bat on and they have themselves to blame as a batting unit, as they failed to build partnerships which could have made the difference.
“The wicket was good today. Played really well,” said Rahane. “With the ball, how we came back after 10 overs, it was amazing. At that point, they looked good for 250-260. They were 140-150. But I think the bowlers bowled really well, came back smartly.
“SRH bowlers, they saw what we did in the first innings. They got an idea of what we were doing. The first six overs were crucial for us, we lost that extra wicket of Cameron Green, which he got run out. When you’re chasing that target, it’s bound to happen. You are going to lose wickets, lose that momentum. What we needed today was that partnership”.
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