KKR IPL 2026 Review: Why Ajinkya Rahane’s side never recovered from their horror start

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane talks to Sunil Narine. (NOT a photo) NEW DELHI: It has been a disappointing campaign for three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders. After finally ending their 10-year title drought with an IPL triumph in 2024, KKR failed to carry over the momentum as the 2026 season turned into another frustrating season, with the franchise missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.Under captain Ajinkya Rahane, KKR endured one of their worst starts in IPL history, going six matches without a win – five defeats and no result.KKR could never really settle into the tournament after picking up just one point from the first six matches. A disastrous start at the start of the season pushed them to the bottom of the table.Much of the damage was done during the opening phase of the campaign.Despite a terrible start, KKR put up a strong fight in the second half of the league phase. They revived their playoff hopes by winning six of their next seven games and suddenly became one of the best teams in the tournament.In the final league match against Delhi Capitals, KKR still had a chance to make it to the playoffs.However, they needed two results to go in their favour:– Massive win over Delhi Capitals– Rajasthan Royals lose against Mumbai IndiansNeither happened.Rajasthan Royals secured the victory to confirm their place in the playoffs and officially knock KKR out of contention. KKR themselves failed to sign off on a positive note, suffering a 40-run defeat against Delhi Capitals in their last league match.KKR finally ended their IPL 2026 campaign with six wins, seven defeats and one no result from 14 matches. They finished in seventh place with 13 points and a -0.147 ERA.

Kolkata Knight Riders players (PTI Photo)

What really went wrong with KKR?

Here are the main reasons for KKR’s problems in IPL 2026:IF NOT ALLEN-SEIFERT, THEN WHO?When you have two explosive batsmen like Finn Allen and Tim Seifert in the team, it was expected that KKR would use them together at the top of the order. Ahead of the season, the likely combination looked straightforward – Allen and Seifert to open with Rahane at No. 3 or 4. However, KKR instead opted for an Allen-Rahane opening combination, a move that did not produce consistent results.KKR also had the option of using Sunil Narine, who had earlier started the franchise dream as an opener. The uncertainty surrounding the starting combination ended up hurting the team a lot.RAHANE’S HIT RATEAs an opener, Rahane has struggled to provide explosive starts. The KKR skipper scored 335 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 135.08 – figures that failed to consistently put opposition bowlers under pressure during the powerplay.INJURY INJURY PATHIRANAKKR spent a massive Rs 18 crore to sign Matheesha Pathirana in the IPL auction, but injuries completely derailed his campaign. The Sri Lankan pacer joined the team late after suffering a left calf injury during the T20 World Cup campaign in Sri Lanka. After finally being cleared to play in mid-April, Pathirana remained on the bench before finally making his debut against Gujarat Titans. However, his comeback was short-lived as he bowled just 1.2 overs before leaving the field with a thigh injury.MUSTAFIZUR’S ABSENCE HURTS KKR BADLYMustafizur Rahman’s absence proved to be one of KKR’s biggest setbacks. A bowler capable of troubling the batsmen, breaking up partnerships and delivering wickets at crunch time. Mustafizur’s absence has left a big void in the bowling attack. KKR bought him for Rs 9.2 crore in the auction, but the franchise later released him on the instructions of the BCCI due to geopolitical developments in the region. KKR have lacked both wicket-taking ability and lower-order batting at key moments of the season.VARUN CHAKRAVARTHACONCERNS OF INJURYStar spinner Varun Chakravarthy battled multiple injuries throughout the season. During the tournament, he was often seen wearing knee braces and using crutches off the field. After going wicketless in KKR’s opening three matches, Chakravarthy bounced back strongly with 10 wickets in the next four games. His battle with injury and the fact that he continued to bowl despite not being fully fit greatly affected KKR’s campaign.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi (Pic credit: IPL)

IPL 2026: KKR STATEMENT

One of the biggest positives for KKR this season has been the emergence of . Batting in the middle order, the 21-year-old played some battling knocks and often rescued the team after top-order collapses. He grabbed the stumps with his gloves. Raghuvanshi finished as KKR’s highest run scorer with 422 runs in 13 matches at an average of 42.20.Young pacer Kartik Tyagi has also emerged as a bright spot in an otherwise difficult campaign. Bought for Rs 30 lakh after going unsold in the IPL 2025 auction, Tyagi has impressed with his pace and wicket-taking ability. He finished the season with 18 wickets, the third highest among Indian bowlers in the league stage.

WHAT NEXT FOR KKR?

Despite a huge backlash in the second half of the season, KKR’s poor start eventually proved too damaging to overcome. For the franchise with three IPL trophies, another failure in the playoffs will force the management to reassess several areas ahead of IPL 2027. The KKR think tank will have a lot to review ahead of next season – and discussions could even start with the ‘captain’.

Do you believe KKR should keep Ajinkya Rahane as captain for IPL 2027?