Kolkata Knight Riders have had a tough start to IPL 2026, with Ajinkya Rahane finding himself under increasing scrutiny after losses to Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Rahane started the season on a positive note with a flowing 40-ball 67 against Mumbai Indians, but his efforts failed as KKR failed to defend a strong total. In the next game, his 200th IPL appearance, he struggled to find a rhythm in the chase and scored just 8 from 10 balls against SRH.
Off-field moments have also fueled criticism around his captaincy, including his comments about Cameron Green not bowling, saying questions should be directed to Cricket Australia. Rahane later hit back at his critics, defending his intentions and pointing to an improvement in his goalscoring rate in recent seasons.
Amid the uproar, senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin came out in support of Rahane and gave a strong nod to his leadership.
“Honestly, I have read a lot about Ajinkya Rahane, but he is a very good man, a very good person. I have played under his captaincy and let me tell you, no bowler will have a more supportive captain than him. He is very supportive and a very calm captain. If he can’t get the best out of the bowlers, then I don’t know who else can.”
While defending Rahane, Ashwin made it clear that KKR’s woes do not only depend on the captain. Instead, he pointed out the tactical limitations, particularly in terms of bowling.
“He can maybe do one thing – use Sunil Narine in the powerplay, give Varun Chakravarthy a break and then bring him in after the powerplay. If he does that well, then the confidence will come back. But that’s all he can do. What else can he do? He can’t bowl on his own.”
Ashwin also highlighted the complexities of the game, especially against left-handers, suggesting that avoiding certain bowlers could create further imbalances.
“He may also be able to avoid giving him the ball against left-handers. But if you avoid him against left-handers, then who will bowl? Sunil Narine will bowl from one end, but who will bowl from the other end? So there are a lot of questions for KKR.”
He added that if Cameron Green starts contributing with the ball, it could take some of the load off the offense.
KKR are already under pressure early in the season with two losses in their opening match. Ashwin’s comments highlighted that while Rahane remains in the spotlight, the issues within the team are not just a concern for the leadership.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Points Table
