Rahane Defends IPL Strike Rate, Blames Lack of Middle-Over Partnerships for KKR Loss

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Ajinkya Rahane, following his team's second loss in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, defended his performance by emphasising that his strike rate has been among the best since 2023.

Rahane suggested that the negativity toward him may stem from bias or even jealousy over his success.

He attributed his side's defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to the lack of crucial partnerships during the middle overs while chasing a challenging target of 227.

"Yeah, I thought we needed a couple of big partnerships. Guys who were set needed to take it deep," Rahane said after the match.

A clinical performance from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which included quickfire knocks from Heinrich Klaasen and Abhishek Sharma and fine bowling performances from Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga and Nitish Kumar Reddy, helped them achieve their first win of the 2026 IPL, beating KKR by 65 runs at Kolkata on Thursday.

Rahane noted that despite a strong start in the powerplay, where KKR raced to 84 runs in the first six overs, losing an extra wicket and failing to capitalise in the middle overs proved costly.

He also pointed out that the pitch conditions became slightly tougher during the chase, with slower balls gripping more than expected.

"The slower balls were gripping more than in the first innings. We thought the wicket would get better, but the ball was stopping a bit. Still, no excuses--we got a good start but couldn't carry it forward," he added.

Playing his 200th IPL game against the SRH on Thursday, Rahane failed to make a mark, scoring just eight runs from 10 balls at a strike rate of 80 for his side in a tough run-chase.

Since IPL 2023, only SRH's Abhishek Sharma (176.56) has a better strike rate than Rahane (167.78) in the powerplay among Indians.

"My strike rate... I have the best strike rate so far, from 2023. People who are talking are probably not watching the game or have a certain agenda against me," said Rahane.

"They don't like me playing. They don't like to watch me play. The amount of success I've got, I guess they're jealous about that," Rahane told the reporters after the match," he added.

What Does Rahane Say About Criticism and His Intent at the Crease?

Rahane also said that his intent at the crease was right, even if he didn't always find rhythm, stressing that criticism comes from people who either misunderstand the game or expect a different style from him.

"My intent was there. Sometimes, as a batter, you don't get the rhythm or the flow," said Rahane.

"People who are talking either don't understand the game, or they want me to play a different kind of innings. They didn't expect that Ajinkya Rahane would improve his game this much," he added.

"I am happy they are talking about me, negative or positive. Let them talk. But partnering with Finn Allen, it has been very good. In the first six overs, you need to look to play fearless cricket with freedom. At times you will struggle, that's okay, it's important to accept," the KKR skipper said.

He also praised SRH bowlers for their execution, especially their use of variations and angles during the middle overs, which applied pressure on the batters.

"I thought SRH bowlers executed their slower balls and angles really well. We just needed those small partnerships. If the batters maintain a positive mindset and awareness, we'll be fine going forward," Rahane said.

(With inputs from ANI)