Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) Ajinkya Rahane launched a fiery defense of his batting and leadership after Kolkata Knight Riders slumped to a crushing 65-run defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens. Under scrutiny after a slow start to the season, Rahane did not hold back in the post-match press conference, targeting critics questioning his intent and strike rate. “My strike tally… I think I have one of the best strikes so far. People who talk about me probably don’t follow the game or have certain plans,” Rahane said. “They don’t like me playing, they don’t like watching me play. The amount of success I’ve had, they’re probably jealous of me.” The seasoned opener endured a tough game, scoring just eight off 10 balls as KKR’s chase of 227 never got going. Despite a strong start from Finn Allen and a fluent half-century from Angkrish Raghuvanshi, KKR collapsed dramatically and were bowled out for 161 in just 16 overs. However, Rahane insisted that the one-innings criticism was misplaced and backed his approach. “Just one innings where you don’t get that rhythm, that flow. My intention was there. Either people don’t understand the game or they want me to play in a different way,” he added. “I know what I’m doing. I’d rather stand up than think about the person talking.” Earlier, SRH put up an almost complete performance to get back to winning ways. Heinrich Klaasen anchored an innings of 52 while Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma got off to a blistering start with 82 runs. KKR’s problems were compounded by poor running between the wickets, including a chaotic mix-up that led to Cameron Green’s run-out. Their much-vaunted batting line-up failed to build a partnership, raising further questions about the team’s balance and management decisions. However, Rahane remained defiant in the face of mounting pressure. “They didn’t expect Ajinkya Rahane to improve his game so much. I’m happy that people are talking about me, be it negative or positive. Let them talk,” he said. With two defeats to start their campaign, the focus on Rahane and KKR will only intensify, but the skipper has made it clear that he will not be backing down anytime soon.
