New Delhi: Ajinkya Rahane is facing mounting pressure in the ongoing IPL 2026 season as both his form as captain and his team’s results continue to falter. Leading Kolkata Knight Riders, Rahane remains without a win after five matches, with the latest setback coming against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai.
Adding to his challenges, Rahane has been fined Rs 12 lakh by the IPL Governing Council for a slow over-rate during the match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The penalty falls under the league’s Code of Conduct rules and marks the team’s first such offence this season.
On the field, KKR’s performance against CSK further highlighted their struggles. Despite posting a competitive total of 192 for 5, Chennai dominated the chase with early breakthroughs and maintained control throughout. In reply, KKR could only manage 160 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs, falling well short of the target.
The innings saw some resistance from players like Ramandeep Singh and Rovman Powell, but their efforts were not enough to turn the tide. Changes in the batting order also failed to deliver results, with Sunil Narine opening alongside Finn Allen. While Narine showed early promise, wickets at regular intervals disrupted any momentum.
Rahane, along with Angkrish Raghuvanshi, attempted to stabilise the innings, but the team could not recover from early setbacks. Key players, including Finn Allen and Cameron Green, once again failed to make significant contributions with the bat.
With both disciplinary action and a string of defeats weighing on the side, KKR faces an uphill task to revive their campaign. The coming matches will be crucial for Rahane and his team as they look to break their losing streak and regain form in the tournament.
