KKR Set To Fire Ajinkya Rahane, Captaincy Replacement Identified From Another Team

KKR set to fire Ajinkya Rahane as captain [Source: AFP]

The last two IPL seasons have been disastrous for the Kolkata Knight Riders, with the team failing to qualify for the playoffs on both occasions. The franchise won the IPL title under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership in the 2024 campaign, but the next season, they released him from the squad, and the newly bought player, Ajinkya Rahane, was made his successor.

The decision raised eyebrows as Rahane was certainly not KKR’s first choice, as he went unsold in the first round, but was later picked by the franchise for his base price.

Eventually, the decision to appoint him as KKR captain backfired as the Mumbaikar received criticism for his captaincy, and batting, and for failing to deliver the goods with the bat.

KKR's performance under Rahane's leadership

The three-time IPL winners last won the trophy in 2024, but the team management made multiple blunders, and one of them was releasing Shreyas Iyer, who had been pivotal in their success. When Rahane was made the team captain, the franchise stated that his experience and maturity would come in handy for the team, but so far, the results have not showcased it.

In Rahane’s first season as KKR captain (2025), the franchise failed as they finished eighth in the points table, and couldn’t qualify for the knockouts.

The trend continued in the following season as the team lost their first four matches, and by the time the tournament ended, KKR finished seventh, with 6 wins out of 14.

KKR planning to sack Rahane as Hardik Pandya on their radar

The IPL 2027 season is still far away, but the franchises have already started to think about the future, and KKR have also started to make their moves. According to reports by Cricblogger, the senior KKR officials have decided to sack Rahane as their captain.

The franchise is aiming to acquire Hardik Pandya in a trade deal, and the latest report mentioned that the Baroda all-rounder could be the next in line to become the Kolkata-based franchise’s captain.

“There are enough reasons to look beyond Rahane,” a source said to Cricblogger. “The captaincy options are so limited at KKR that the promoters often end up using Shah Rukh Khan’s cut-out for promotional activities.”

Also Read: Ajinkya Rahane At the Top! Players That KKR Must Release Before IPL 2027

Despite his stature and experience, Rahane was unable to get the best out of the franchise in the last two seasons.

Rahane's batting suffered under captaincy pressure

One of the main reasons why the three-time IPL winners are planning to part ways with the Mumbaikar is mainly due to his batting failures.

He usually opens for KKR, and his inability to accelerate after the power play has been questionable, as the franchise has suffered because of it.

He usually opens for KKR, and his inability to accelerate after the power play has been questionable, as the franchise has suffered because of it. In 13 IPL 2025 matches, the right-handed batter scored just 390 runs, with a strike rate of 147.

In the following season, the numbers went down as the opener scored just 335 runs, with a strike rate of 135. His form also hampered the other batters around as they also crumbled under pressure.

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