Ajinkya Rahane brushed aside criticism surrounding his batting after leading from the front for Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL 2026 opener against Mumbai Indians. The KKR skipper said he does not want to prove anything to anyone and insists that he is happy with his current form.
Rahane’s comments came after a smooth knock at the Wankhede Stadium where he scored 67 off 40 balls to anchor KKR’s innings. Despite their six-wicket loss, the veteran set the tone on a batting-friendly surface as KKR posted a stout 220 for 4.
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“Let people talk about me – they’ve been talking about me for 20 years. Let them talk. I’m really happy with the way I’m batting at the moment. I’m not here to show anybody how talented I am or what my game is. People are watching – let them watch, let them talk,” Rahane said in the post-match press conference.
“But I’m really happy with how I’ve improved my game in white-ball cricket over the last two or three years, especially in the T20 format. It’s important to grow as a cricketer and as a batsman and that’s what I’ve been trying to do. So let them do the talking.”
Rahane’s innings, which included three fours and five sixes, was well supported by Angkrish Raghuvanshi (51) and Finn Allen (37 off 17), which saw KKR maintain a high scoring rate throughout. However, his efforts were not enough as MI comfortably chased down the target.
The knock comes against the backdrop of scrutiny of Rahane’s leadership, following KKR’s eighth-place finish in IPL 2025 despite being the side’s top scorer with 390 runs.
IS AJINKYA RAHANE’S INJURY SERIOUS?
KKR had a moment of concern when Rahane chased the pitch during MI after experiencing convulsions.
However, the KKR captain downplayed the issue and confirmed that it was not serious after being treated by the team physio. His early departure from the field was more of a precaution than a sign of any serious injury.
Rahane’s fitness will be closely monitored ahead of KKR’s upcoming matches, but early signs do not suggest a long-term setback for the skipper.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
30 Mar 2026 07:07 IST
