Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Ajinkya Rahane is facing the heat for the team’s poor campaign in IPL 2026 so far, his form with the bat is not helping the cause either.
The three-time IPL champions have won just one match out of seven and have slipped to 10th place in the standings. Rahane has scored 152 runs in seven innings so far this season at an average of 25.33. His strike-rate of 144.76 is impressive but not enough while batting the powerplay overs.
However, former KKR coach Chandrakant Pandit has backed the struggling Rahane and explained the approach adopted by the veteran batter, saying he has a role to stabilise the innings after the powerplay.
“Ajinkya has performed well over the last couple of seasons whenever he has had the opportunity to bat. Even in domestic cricket, including T20s, he has shown solid form. Batting at number one comes with a different kind of responsibility. After the powerplay, once the first six overs are done, his role is often to stabilise the innings and take the game forward in a controlled manner. That could be one reason why he isn’t always aggressively attacking the ball – he’s a very calculating player,” Pandit was quoted saying on RevzSports.
Pandit said the pressure of expectations might be affecting Rahane, especially with the team going through a tough phase.
“It also feels like he may be carrying a bit of pressure, especially when the team isn’t doing well. As a senior player, that responsibility naturally falls on him, and he might be putting in extra effort with the mindset of needing to win. But every player handles situations differently, and fluctuations in performance are normal. There are players who excel one season and struggle the next – consistency varies from individual to individual,” he added.
Pandit compared him with players like Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad. He said Rahane fits that style of play where he has to play a key role in balancing the team alongside the more aggressive batters.
“When you look at players like Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad, they also have that adaptable, composed style that works across formats. Rahane belongs in that category of players who rely on a thoughtful, measured approach. He understands his role and responsibility. The way he has been batting suggests he is doing what’s expected from a top-order batter after the powerplay. Of course, other players in the team have different roles—especially the power hitters. KKR rely on players like Rovman Powell to accelerate the scoring and take the game forward aggressively. In the end, it’s about balance within the team, and Rahane’s approach fits into that structure,” he also said.
