There’s pressure mounting on the famous Kolkata Knight Riders having suffered yet another defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League season that just began.
Ajinkya Rahane, moreover, has that pressure
on him. Perhaps it’s about questions being asked of his own batting (he fell for an underwhelming score against SRH last evening following a fluent fifty) or at some of the decisions he’s made as the team’s captain.
Whatever it is, he is perhaps not the happiest man about town.
Ajinkya Rahane has launched a strong defence of his performances amid growing criticism following Kolkata Knight Riders’ struggles in the ongoing IPL 2026.
After another disappointing defeat, Rahane addressed what he described as “outside noise,” taking aim at critics questioning his place and approach in the format.
“They’re Probably Not Watching the Game” Rahane didn’t hold back, suggesting that much of the criticism lacks context and fairness. “I’ve one of the best strike rates in the IPL from 2023.
People who talk about me are probably not watching the game or have a certain agenda against me.”
AJINKYA RAHANE ON THE OUTSIDE NOISE. 🗣️ “I’ve one of the best strike rates in the IPL from 2023. People who talks about me are probably not watching the game or have a certain agenda against me. They don’t like me playing, the amount of success which I’ve got, they’re jealous”. pic.twitter.com/GeaIaaCB0n
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 2, 2026
The veteran batter, who has reinvented his T20 approach in recent seasons, pointed to his numbers as proof of his impact despite ongoing scrutiny.
“They’re Jealous of My Success”
In a rare show of aggression in his public remarks, Rahane went a step further by questioning the intent behind the criticism.
“They don’t like me playing. The amount of success which I’ve got, they’re jealous.”
Such comments underline the pressure Rahane is currently facing. And this pressure is not just as a batter, but also as captain of a side struggling for consistency.
