Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane stated on Tuesday that he has always been a “instinctive and attacking player” in response to mounting criticism on his batting style, emphasizing the effort that has gone into his development in the shortest format.
In KKR’s three IPL season games against the Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings, respectively, Rahane has scored 67 (off 40 balls), 8 (10 balls), and 8 not out (6 balls).
Rahane dismissed worries about his strike rate during the SRH game, claiming that criticism frequently has “a certain agenda” and that he has “one of the best strike rates” since 2023.
“I have always been an instinctive player, an attacking player. But the franchises I played for earlier, my role was different. It’s always been about the team for me… how I can contribute. Whatever the management asked at that point, it was about fulfilling that role to the best of my ability,” Rahane said.
The Mumbai batsman, who is approaching 38, discussed the work that went into changing his style of play to one that is more aggressive.
“Three-four years back, I sat down and thought about how I can grow from here, how I can update my batting. I started working on a few different shots. It took me one to one-and-a-half years to develop a couple of them. Just kept practising, got hit on my chest and stomach multiple times.
“When you have that passion to improve and never feel satisfied, you automatically try to get better. The last three-four years have been really good for me in this format. I’m really enjoying my cricket. It’s always about contributing to the team, but from a personal point of view, I try to improve at least five percent every year.”
In IPL 2025, Rahane was KKR’s top run scorer with 390 runs, including three fifties, with a strike rate of more than 147. Despite the team’s eighth-place finish in their title defence the previous season, he was retained as captain.
Rinku Singh has been underutilized at No. 5 this season, and he has opened opposite Finn Allen, a decision that has been criticised considering KKR’s abundance of power-hitters, including Tim Seifert and Rovman Powell, who have not yet appeared.
“Captaining KKR has been really amazing. I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this franchise. The passion for cricket in Kolkata is incredible. Whenever you play at Eden Gardens, the fans are emotional, and I understand that — they love the sport and are deeply passionate about the team,” he said.
Rahane acknowledged that the team’s performances had given the supporters every reason to be dissatisfied.
“Whenever I’ve played at Eden Gardens — even in domestic matches like Mumbai vs Bengal — the crowd has always been passionate. Playing here is always special. Whenever we step onto the field, it’s about doing well for the franchise.
“The journey so far has been really good. I’m still learning, still improving, and I want to keep doing well for the team. Winning the championship is always the goal. The dressing room atmosphere and culture have been fantastic,” he added.
Rahane also praised Shah Rukh Khan, the team’s co-owner, for his unwavering support.
“Shah Rukh Khan has been amazing… like a big brother, always supporting everyone, especially in tough times. We will give our best this season. Hopefully, we can lift the trophy — for the owners, the franchise, and most importantly, the fans of Kolkata,” he signed off.
