Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane hinted at a possible change in the team combination after the three-time champions suffered back-to-back defeats in IPL 2026. On Thursday 2. KKR collapsed for 65 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad Ishan Kishan at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Rahane suggested that KKR might consider fielding another batting order after the team collapsed to 161 in just 16 overs chasing a massive target of 227. The fact that Cameron Green is yet to bowl in the IPL made it difficult for the Knight Riders to settle their combination.
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“Yes, absolutely. I mean, winning the game, the home game is really important. So we’ll have to go back to the drawing room, just think about our combination. If we can get some extra batting in our line-up, we’ll have to think about that. But then again, we’ve got 3-4 days. We don’t want to think too much,” Rahane said after the match.
KKR vs SRH, IPL 2026: MAIN | SCORECARD
If Green starts bowling, Knight Riders might consider adding another batter to their line-up, be it Manish Pandey or Rahul Tripathi.
THE NEED FOR PARTNERSHIP
Rahane, who managed just eight runs off 10 balls, said the lack of partnership cost the Knight Riders dearly in their run. He added that KKR’s batting can improve if the team approaches the game with a positive mindset and more situational awareness.
“I think the boys are doing really well. Just one day off with the bat. We did really well last game. We just needed those little partnerships. I think if the batsmen can have a positive mindset and extra awareness while batting, I think we will be fine,” Rahane added.
The defeat saw the Knight Riders drop to ninth in the points table with a net rate of -1.964. This is the first time since 2012 that KKR have started the IPL with back-to-back losses.
The Knight Riders will look to bounce back when they take on Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens on Monday, April 6.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
03 Apr 2026 0:14 IST
