Ajinkya Rahane unfazed by criticism, says ‘not here to prove my talent’

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane brushed off criticism over his batting after a composed half-century in their IPL 2026 opener against Mumbai Indians, saying he has nothing to prove to anyone.

Leading from the front at Wankhede Stadium, Rahane struck 67 off 40 balls to anchor KKR to a strong 220 for 4 on a high-scoring surface. Despite the solid total, Mumbai Indians chased it down comfortably to seal a six-wicket win.

Unfazed by outside noise, Rahane said he remains focused on his own game. “Let people talk — they’ve been doing it for years. I’m happy with the way I’m batting. I’m not here to prove my talent or explain my game to anyone,” he said after the match.

The 35-year-old also pointed to his steady growth in white-ball cricket, especially in T20s, over the past few seasons, adding that evolving as a batter has been his key focus.

Rahane’s knock, which included three fours and five sixes, was backed by useful contributions from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (51) and Finn Allen (37 off 17), helping KKR maintain a brisk run rate throughout the innings.

The innings comes amid scrutiny around Rahane’s captaincy following KKR’s eighth-place finish in IPL 2025, even though he ended as the team’s top run-scorer with 390 runs.

Injury scare not serious

There was a moment of concern for KKR when Rahane left the field during MI’s chase due to cramps. However, the skipper later clarified that the issue was minor and his exit was only precautionary after treatment from the physio.