‘Let them talk, they don’t like to watch me play’:Ajinkya Rahane hits back at critics after Kolkata’s defeat to Hyderabad

Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane made headlines after strongly responding to criticism about his batting approach following his team’s 65-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on 2 April. Known for his calm nature, Rahane surprised many with his bold and direct comments during the post-match press conference. The defeat marked KKR’s second consecutive loss in IPL 2026, putting the team under pressure early in the tournament. While the team struggled in a big run chase, much of the focus shifted to Rahane’s strike rate and his role at the top of the order. Questions around his batting intent, especially against spin, seemed to trigger Rahane, who defended his record and dismissed the criticism strongly. Ajinkya Rahane defends his strike rate Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 8 runs off 10 balls in the match, rejected claims that he has been slow in his approach. He pointed to his impressive numbers since 2023 to back himself. He said, “I think I have one of the best strike rates so far from 2023. 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.” Also read: Drama unfolds over Green’s chaotic run out after Raghuvanshi mix-up:Eshan-Angkrish’s collision, Abhishek completes 100 sixes for SRH His numbers in the powerplay support his statement, where he has maintained one of the top strike rates among batters. However, his performance against spin in the middle overs has been a concern, with a noticeable drop in scoring rate. ‘Let Them Talk’: Rahane’s strong message for the critics Rahane did not hold back and suggested that criticism could be driven by jealousy over his success. He further added, “The amount of success which I got, I guess they are jealous of me. I am not too worried. You guys know what I am doing. Just one bad innings…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. “They didn’t expect that Ajinkya Rahane will basically prove his game this much. So I am happy they are talking about me, negative or positive, either way. I am really happy that they are talking. Let them talk.” His comments reflected both confidence and frustration as he stood firm on his batting style despite outside noise. KKR Collapse in big chase against SRH at Kolkata Chasing a huge target of 227 runs, KKR were bowled out for 161. The team failed to build partnerships, which proved to be the turning point in the match. KKR were in a decent position at 120/3 but then collapsed dramatically, losing seven wickets for just 41 runs. Not a single partnership crossed the 50-run mark, making the chase even more difficult. Rahane admitted that the lack of partnerships hurt the team’s chances. He said, “The wicket was good today. Played really well. With the ball, how we came back after 10 overs, it was amazing. At that point, they looked good for 250-260. They were 140-150. But I think the bowlers bowled really well, came back smartly. Also read: CSK to host PBKS, Yellow Army chasing first win:Both teams level in head-to-head record; Punjab beat Chennai twice in 2025 “SRH bowlers, they saw what we did in the first innings. They got an idea of what we were doing. The first six overs were crucial for us, we lost that extra wicket of Cameron Green, which he got run out. When you’re chasing that target, it’s bound to happen. You are going to lose wickets, lose that momentum. What we needed today was that partnership,” he concluded.