Ajinkya Rahane Brutally Calls Out People Who Criticize Him For Playing Slow, Fans Points Out the Hypocrisy 

Ajinkya Rahane admitted struggling for rhythm against Sunrisers Hyderabad, which resulted in his early dismissal for a single-digit score.

Ajinkya Rahane Brutally Calls Out People Who Criticize Him For Playing Slow, Fans Points Out the Hypocrisy 

Ajinkya Rahane hit back at critics, who suggested that his strike-rate against spinners is slow. (via Indian Express)

In Short
  • Ajinkya Rahane defended his strike-rate after criticism following KKR's poor start to the IPL season.
  • Fans pointed out perceived hypocrisy in Rahane's claims, highlighting his low strike-rate against spin.
  • Many KKR supporters suggested Rahane should step down as captain, citing his recent performance and team struggles.

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane, after their first home game of the 2026 IPL season ended in a defeat, lashed out at critics at the post-match press conference. Specifically, he defended his strike rate, but was instantly criticized by fans who pointed to his perceived hypocrisy.

The second-most successful franchise in IPL history, KKR have endured a dismal start to their campaign, losing both their opening games. Against SRH, KKR suffered a heavy 65-run defeat, failing to chase down a massive 227-run target.

The team is currently facing a ‘storm’ of issues, marked by unstable batting and bowling failures. KKR’s bowling attack has conceded over 220 runs in two matches so far, with even Varun Chakravarthy struggling to find wickets. 

It has put captain Ajinkya Rahane under pressure. The veteran batter, while he scored an impressive 67 runs off 40 balls in the first match against MI, was dismissed for a painful 8 off 10 balls against SRH. Despite Finn Allen‘s quick 28 off seven balls, giving KKR momentum, the loss of both openers, especially Rahane, intensified the pressure on the middle order. Following the match, the captain was decidedly unwilling to discuss his batting strategy with reporters.

Although not a vocal figure, Ajinkya Rahane brazenly hit out at those raising doubts over his strike-rate against spin. He went on to claim that his scoring rate has been the highest since 2023, and suggested that critics questioning it do not watch the game.

The 37-year-old went further, suggesting that those who criticize his strike rate are driven by a personal ‘agenda’ and are ‘jealous’ of his achievements in the IPL. He told the reporters:

My strike rate I think I have one of the best strike-rates so far. I think people [critics] who are talking about me are probably not watching the game or they have certain agendas against me.

Rahane’s claims of superior numbers are not far-fetched, given he boasts a strike-rate of 167.78 in the IPL between overs 1 to 6, and remains only behind hard-hitters like Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Phil Salt. On his poor outing during the Knight Riders’ first home game at the Eden Gardens, Rahane claimed that his clear intent meant the outing should not be viewed as a bad innings.

They [critics] don’t like me playing, they don’t like to watch me play. The amount of success I’ve had, I guess they are jealous of me. I’m not too worried.

The KKR captain also affirmed that he would continue to back an aggressive style of play, despite the early setbacks in the tournament. Rahane and Co. will be looking to bounce back when they take on the Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens on April 6. 

Ajinkya Rahane’s ‘agenda’ claim backfires: Fans lash out at KKR skipper over strike-rate defense

While Ajinkya Rahane remains the backbone of KKR’s batting unit in the IPL this summer, the 37-year-old has been criticized for his strike rate. Rahane’s claim that the people who have called out his strike-rate have a specific ‘agenda’ against him backfired.

Fans slam Ajinkya Rahane hypocrisy
Fans slam Ajinkya Rahane for his perceived hypocrisy on strike-rate. (via NDTV Sports)

While the out-of-favor Team India batter enjoys a decent strike-rate against pacers in the powerplay as well as the middle-overs, it significantly drops against spinners. Against spin in overs 7 to 15, Rahane’s strike-rate is just 114.02, with the boundary percentage also reducing to 8.11%. Moreover, his post-powerplay numbers present a contrasting image, with the right-hander’s average going down below 20.

Fans took to social media to remind Rahane of his poor numbers, with one of them even highlighting that his strike rate is only the 65th best. Many pointed to the fact that youngsters like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma have a superior strike rate than the aging KKR captain. However, his supporters exclaimed that the other Kolkata players were responsible for the two defeats this summer.

Several KKR fans urged Rahane to step down as captain and continue only as a batter, while handing over the leadership baton to Rinku Singh. One fan even exclaimed that the 37-year-old is not the same player who had captained India to a historic BGT triumph.

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