Ajinkya Rahane

IPL 2026: Ajinkya Rahane says quitting captaincy never crossed his mind

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane said thoughts of stepping down never crossed his mind despite the side's disastrous start to the IPL season, adding that it is important to show character when the team is struggling. The former champions endured a miserable start to their IPL campaign, losing five of their opening six matches and sinking to the bottom of the points table. However, they staged a remarkable turnaround by winning six of their final eight games, briefly reviving hopes of a playoff qualification before eventually falling short. "For me, I've played cricket all my life with a good attitude. Character has always been very important for me," Rahane said at the post match press conference after the team's last game of the season. KKR lost by 40 runs against Delhi Capitals on Sunday. "I'm never one to back down. When the team is down, when the team is struggling, it's very important to show your character at that time. I am never one that steps down. When the te

IPL 2026: Rahane explains Varun playing for KKR despite fractured toe

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane said the decision to continue playing mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy despite a fractured left toe was taken only after clearance from the medical staff. Chakaravarthy suffered a hairline fracture earlier this month during KKR's clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad when a straight drive from Ishan Kishan struck his shoe. It was the third fracture the spinner sustained this season, having earlier played through two finger fractures on his non-bowling left hand. "See, our team's physios and the physios of BCCI and the Indian team, there was a discussion among them. I don't get involved in that at all. That's their department. My department is how's the player's mindset, does the player want to play or not, how big is the risk?" Rahane told reporters after KKR's final league match on Sunday. "Yes, it's important to consider the health factor, to stay fit. Your injuries shouldn't increase. Yes, we think about that. But the physios felt that

IPL 2026: Mid-season review of KKR, top performers, remaining fixtures

KKR have had a forgettable first half of the new season among all teams, as they have secured only one win in seven matches played so far and are at the bottom of the points table

Rahane blames agenda, jealousy for strike-rate criticism after losses

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has hit back at criticism around his strike rate, suggesting that there is a "certain agenda" and an element of "jealousy" behind the chatter. Questions on his strike rate came up after KKR slumped to a 65-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Thursday. Chasing a steep 227, the home side never had any impactful partnership despite a promising start and folded for 161 in 16 overs to remain winless so far this season. The loss placed the focus on Rahane's own performance and strike rate. The KKR skipper, who managed 8 off 10 balls on Thursday, was uncharacteristically sharp as he reacted to the criticism. "My strike rate, I think I have one of the best strike rates so far from 2020. People who are talking about me, probably not watching the game or they have certain agenda against me. They don't like me playing," he said without mentioning anyone in specific in the post-match media interaction. "They don't like to watch me play. The amou

IPL 2026: Not here to prove talent, let people talk, says Ajinkya Rahane

Dismissive of the never-ending speculation around his future, experienced India batter and Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane says he is playing cricket for personal growth and not to prove a point to the naysayers. The 37-year-old Rahane had stepped down from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy captaincy last season and he also did not lead the side in white-ball domestic competitions. The move triggered another round of chatter around the future of the batter, who hasn't played for India since 2023. "Let people talk about me. They have been talking about me since like what, 20 years now. Let them talk," Rahane told reporters when asked if his 40-ball 67 with five sixes and three fours against Mumbai Indians here on Sunday was in any way a statement especially for those in Mumbai's cricket circuit. "I am really happy with the way I am batting at the moment. I am not here to show anyone how talented I am and what's my game. People are watching. Let them watch. Let them talk," he ...

IPL 2026: Ajinkya Rahane limps off mid-game in MI vs KKR game at Wankhede

Kolkata Knight Riders' captan Ajinkya Rahane was on Sunday forced to leave the field seemingly after suffering cramps in the second half of their Indian Premier League clash here against Mumbai Indians. In Rahane's absence, India all-rounder Rinku Singh who was named the vice-captain before the IPL 2026 began, took over the captaincy role. Rahane was down on the field after the completion of the fourth over in MI's chase of 221 and despite receiving some treatment from the team physiotherapist, the 37-year-old could not continue. After lying down for a few minutes, the KKR skipper was helped by his teammates to get up and for a short while even had his hands on shoulders of two others to get off the field. However, Rahane eventually walked off himself but with a limp. However it is still not clear whether it is simple cramps or a case of injury to calf muscle or hamstring. Opening the innings for KKR earlier in the game, Rahane spent more than an hour in the middle building the ...

Captains of all 10 franchises for IPL 2026

Get to know all 10 captains leading their teams in IPL 2026! From experienced leaders like Hardik Pandya and Ajinkya Rahane to dynamic captains such as Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill.

Virat Kohli to Chris Gayle: Top 10 highest run-getters in IPL history

Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli leads the list of highest run scorers in IPL with 8,661 runs, while David Warner, with 6,565 runs, leads the table for overseas batters

Rahane's silent roar: 'Age is just a number, experience still counts'

If you have the experience, if you're still playing domestic cricket, if you're giving your best - selectors should consider that, says Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane urges BCCI to revamp selector process, Pujara in partial agreement

India batter Ajinkya Rahane has proposed radical changes in the appointment of selectors, particularly at the domestic level, saying only recently retired first-class players should be entrusted with picking teams as they are more likely to keep pace with changing nature of the game. Currently, any cricketer with 10-match first-class experience can apply for being a state selector and should have retired at least five years ago. Beyond the set parameters, Rahane said it's important that selectors' mindset and approach match the current pace of cricket. "Players should not be scared of selectors. I want to talk about selectors, especially in domestic cricket. We should have selectors who have retired recently from playing top-flight cricket, those who have retired five-six years, seven-eight years ago," Rahane said during an interaction with one-time teammate Cheteshwar Pujara on the former's Youtube channel. "Because the way cricket is evolving, I think it's very important that the

Rahane resigns Mumbai captaincy just before new Ranji Trophy 2025 campaign

Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday stepped down from his position as Mumbai captain ahead of the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, saying it is the right time to groom a new leader. The 37-year-old, who has amassed 14000 runs in 201 first-class matches, however, will continue to play as a batter in the team. The Ranji season begins on October 15 and Mumbai will be up against Jammu and Kashmir in their opening game. "Captaining and winning the championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour," Rahane wrote on his 'X' account. "With the new domestic season ahead, I believe it is the right time to groom a new leader, and hence, I have decided not to continue in the captaincy role. "I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player, and will continue my journey with MCA to help us win more trophies, looking forward to the season," he added. Under his captaincy, Mumbai clinched the Ranji Trophy title in the 202324 season with a victory over Vidarbha in the .

Ajinkya Rahane reflects on KKR journey, playoff hopes, and India comeback

Speaking at the Star Sports Press Room, Rahane opened up about various aspects of his journey with KKR so far.

IPL 2025: MI vs KKR playing 11, Pandya and Rahane's captaincy record in IPL

Mumbai Indians are searching for their first win of the season while defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders have also won one and lost one in their two games of this season so far

Eden Gardens curator reverses his stance on pitch controversy with KKR

Curator Sujan Mukherjee stated that no KKR official or player had approached him before the match with any specific pitch requirements

IPL 2025: Kolkata Knight Riders full schedule, swot analysis, match timings

As fans gear up for the IPL 2025 opener between KKR and RCB, Business Standard takes a look how KKR are prepared for the new challenges ahead:

IPL 2025: Rahane named captain; KKR's costliest player appointed deputy

Venkatesh Iyer was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025 mega auction for Rs 23.75 crore

Ajinkya Rahane believes Rohit will bounce back strong after recent debacles

Indian Test and ODI skipper Rohit Sharma is all set to make his return to domestic cricket for the first time since 2025

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 trophy tour begins in India at Wankhede Stadium

Indian cricket legends including Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, and Ajinkya Rahane posed with the coveted trophy on Monday

Bangar and Gupta believe players should follow example of Rahane and Pujara

Bangar said that Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have demonstrated their commitment by continuing to perform at the domestic level

Kohli to Iyer: Top 5 highest run-getters for Team India in pink-ball Tests

Rohit Sharma follows closely with 173 runs in three matches, averaging 43.25. Known for his aggressive approach