KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane called the criticism of his T20 batting "agenda-driven" after two straight losses, including a collapse against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens on Thursday, March 2. The veteran, who improved really with Chennai Super Kings in 2023, says his strike rate and intent are still top-tier despite a 10-ball slump at Eden Gardens.
There's no sign of jealousy behind the push to downplay his form, just a pattern of negativity that feels unfair. For now, he stands by his performance, even if some fans see it differently. It's not just about one match; it's about how the narrative is being built around him. His recent struggles don't erase what he brought earlier in the season.
Ajinkya Rahane Claims 'Agenda' Behind T20 Batting Criticism
In the high-voltage post-match press conference, Rahane fired up when he was questioned about two big issues: the pressure on his leadership and his own batting performance. The KKR skipper pointed out that some parts of the media and some fans are working on a biased story. To illustrate his point, he said that those who criticise him simply "don't like seeing me play" and, in fact, they still refuse to acknowledge the improvements in the figures he has made from 2023 onwards.
The same kind of KKR player group adjustment to the top was blamed by the critics for not killing the innings after good starts, which is the reason for two consecutive defeats against the Mumbai Indians and SRH in a short span of two days. So, at this time, standing up for oneself is even more necessary, as the timing couldn't be worse for the captain.
"I think I have one of the best strike rates so far from 2023," Rahane said in the post-match press conference. "People who are talking about me are probably not watching the game, or they have a certain agenda against me. They don't like me playing. They don't like to watch me play. The amount of success that I got, I guess, they are jealous of me. I am not too worried. You guys know what I am doing. Just one bad inning…not a bad inning, but my intent was there. Sometimes, as a batter, you don't get that rhythm, you don't get that flow. People who are talking, either they don't understand the game (or I think they want me to play a different kind of innings."
KKR vs SRH: Clinical Sunrisers Thrash Knights By 65 Runs
A major dramatic round at Eden Gardens quickly turned into a rout as the Sunrisers Hyderabad enjoyed a big 65-run triumph over the hosts. Choosing to bowl first, KKR's gamble went wrong as the "Travishek" pair - Travis Head (46) and Abhishek Sharma (48) - hit the powerplay target of 84/1 for the season's highest. Even with a 4-wicket haul from Blessing Muzarabani (4/41), SRH pulled off a huge 226/8, supported by a classy 52 off 35 from Heinrich Klaasen and a double performance by Nitish Kumar Reddy (39 runs & 2 wickets).
Kolkata's reply was riddled with "ridiculous" run-outs and a lack of middle-order rhythm. Angkirsh Raghuvanshi showed glimpses with a resilient 52; however, the Knights were dismissed for 161 in less than 16 overs, with Jaydev Unadkat (3/21) and Eshan Malinga (2/14) very effective with the ball.