Ajinkya Rahane is under the fire as Kolkata Knight Riders have registered 5 defeats in 6 matches in IPL 2026. They are the last team on the points table with only 1 point, which came from the match against Punjab Kings which was washed out at the Eden Gardens due to rain. At present, KKR has not won even after playing six matches.
Despite Cameron Green’s brilliant batting last night, KKR suffered its fifth defeat. Gujarat Titans easily won the match at their home ground, Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, thanks to a masterclass from Shubman Gill. It was another tough post-match press conference for Ajinkya Rahane as the season is becoming more challenging for him.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane thanked the reporter in response
The growing pressure on Rahane’s shoulders was highlighted when he told a reporter, “Thank you. Someone really appreciated my hard work.”
In the press conference, a reporter said to the KKR captain, “First of all, congratulations for your hard work.” In response, Rahane said.
GT gifts Kolkata Knight Riders fifth defeat in IPL 2026
Against Gujarat Titans, KKR’s batting was good despite suffering several early setbacks. Inside the power play, they lost three batsmen for only 32 runs. From there, they managed to score 180 runs in the 20 overs limit thanks to a counterattack from Cameron Green. The Australian all-rounder scored 79 runs in 55 balls with the help of seven fours and five sixes.
Captain Shubman Gill’s steady and confident innings of 86 off 50 helped Gujarat Titans chase down the target and register a win over Kolkata Knight Riders. GT won the match with 5 wickets and 2 balls remaining. Varun Chakraborty got two wickets and Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora and Ramandeep Singh got one wicket each.
In the press conference, after the ‘thank you’ reply, Ajinkya Rahane said that the players have to embrace themselves as the road ahead is more challenging. Despite the poor performance, he urged all the team members to keep their heads held high so that they can continue to strive for victory.
Rahane asked the team to embrace the coming days
“You have to accept those days, even the tough days. As a player, keep your head high, keep trying your best every day. So, for us, it’s all about going out there, staying positive, playing with freedom,” the KKR captain said.
He said, “As a team, as an individual, accept these difficult days. And every day is a new day, trying to get better. What we can do as a team is play with freedom, play to our ability and try to support each other, enjoy each other’s success.”
With 5 losses in 6 matches and a negative net run rate, the team still has a chance to qualify for the playoffs. To maintain hopes, KKR will have to win at least 7 out of 8 matches, which looks very difficult for them considering their recent form. But as there is a way, there must be a desire too.
“The guys who are bowling in the power play are inexperienced. That’s true. That’s true. But they are still giving their best. They are trying their best to take wickets, which is not happening. But like I said, Anukul Roy, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora, they are really trying their best”, Rahane said while supporting the boys.
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