The defeat of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2026 has left everyone shocked and confused, as things are getting worse with every match. KKR have been struggling badly this season, but their lack of trust in Rinku Singh has surprised Manoj Tiwary.
Rinku Singh, who was once relied upon by Kolkata Knight Riders to finish games under pressure, has now been completely out of sorts under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane.
Rinku Singh’s struggle continues in IPL 2026
Rinku Singh faced only two balls for one run before losing his wicket to Kagiso Rabada during KKR’s five-wicket loss to Gujarat Titans. So far this season, Rinku has played five innings but has managed to score only 79 runs, with her best score being 33*.
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The confidence that the Indian batsmen showed in the last IPL season is no longer there. However, it was not Rinku’s form but the team management’s decision to send her to bat at number seven against GT in Ahmedabad that surprised many.
Even Anukul Roy was promoted before her, which clearly indicated that the team is not fully supporting Rinku right now. This move increased the pressure on them and backfired for the team, as they could only manage 180 runs on the board despite Cameron Green’s brilliant 79 runs.
Manoj Tiwari criticizes KKR for misbehaving with Rinku Singh
After the match, Manoj Tiwary criticized Ajinkya Rahane and the KKR team management for not trusting Rinku and breaking the batsman’s confidence. The former Indian batsman bluntly said that if Kolkata continues to make similar mistakes in the ongoing IPL 2026, their campaign will not get back on track.
Cricbuzz quoted Tiwary as saying, “You changed the entire batting order. You sent Anukul Roy up. You sent an indirect signal to Rinku Singh that you have no confidence in him. Anybody in his right mind would send Rinku up, because he has been your asset for so long.”
The cricket pundit further said, “Look at Rinku when he came back after getting out. He was completely devastated. He knew deep down that this should not have happened to him. When you were supposed to boost his confidence, you did exactly the opposite by sending Rinku down the order. If KKR keeps playing like this, they will remain at the bottom.”
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Something is not right in KKR camp: Manoj Tiwari
Meanwhile, the three-time IPL champions have not won a single match so far in the ongoing IPL 2026 and are sitting at the bottom of the points table with just one point from six matches. This is their worst start in IPL history and things are not looking good at all.
The former Indian batsman felt that something was not right inside the KKR camp as results were not coming and despite being a strong team, the team combination did not look organized.
Tiwary said, “KKR fans have seen three titles. But this year, your main bowlers got injured, but it was not like that; all the strength was gone. The team was still strong. But something is not right, be it the atmosphere or the combination. It was a disappointing performance.”
Now, all eyes are on Kolkata Knight Riders’ next IPL 2026 match against Rajasthan Royals on April 19 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
