.jpeg)
An old adage in cricket goes well with Kolkata Knight Riders’ predicament surrounding their skipper — first pick a Playing XI, then the captain. Ajinkya Rahane, the cricketer in the spotlight and captain of the KKR side, has come under increasing scrutiny in IPL 2026 for averaging 24.22 alongside a rather modest strike rate of 132.12.
A deeper look shows that Rahane occupies a lowly 72nd spot in the list of best strike rates this season. Granted, such a list might comprise players who have featured in just 2-3 games. Yet, a strike rate of just over 132 is on the lower side, especially in an era where top orders are powering sides to scores in the range of 80-100 in the Powerplay overs. We also live in a time where the likes of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma are scoring runs at strike rates in excess of 200.
To make matters worse for KKR, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, the No. 3 batter, also has similar numbers — a batting average of 29.88 alongside a strike rate of 135.85. The resultant outcome is that Finn Allen, the explosive opener, is under immense pressure to provide quick starts at the top of the order.
The silver lining for KKR is that they have found some momentum during the second half of the tournament, winning four in a row. Some of the missing jigsaw pieces are also fitting into the puzzle. Allen and Varun Chakaravarthy’s return to form is one of them. Incidentally, Chakaravarthy’s wicket-taking instincts work in tandem with Sunil Narine’s ability to restrict the opposition — in other words, the spin choke.
Kartik Tyagi, the tearaway quick, has showcased the required bowling smarts to not just pick up wickets but also keep the runs down in the last couple of matches. After a run of low scores, Rinku Singh has found his mojo. Cameron Green, too, is chipping in with useful contributions. It is just that the top order remains an integral part of any batting unit. Unfortunately for KKR, barring Allen, they have not been able to turbocharge that top-order engine with enough explosiveness.
With KKR on a winning spree, there is no way they would leave out the captain for the remainder of their IPL 2026 campaign. But at some point before the start of next season, KKR might have to reflect on whether Rahane deserves a place in the Playing XI.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news
The post KKR, IPL 2026 – Of winning momentum and the Rahane conundrum appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
.jpeg)
