Ajinkya Rahane arrived at the post-match press conference with a familiar half-smile. “When the team is struggling, it is important to show your character,” he reminded everyone. Kolkata Knight Riders had just been bundled out for 163 by Delhi Capitals, a result that confirmed a seventh-place finish and an early trip home from IPL 2026.
For several weeks, KKR’s fate had felt inevitable. They spent heavily at last December’s auction, yet a drip-feed of injuries – and the enforced release of Mustafizur Rahman – stripped their squad to the bone. Six successive defeats followed. The captain, though, has navigated a crisis before: people still talk about Melbourne, 36 all out, and that improbable Test series turnaround in Australia. “Stay together,” was Rahane’s refrain then and now.
On the league’s final afternoon KKR opted against live updates from Mumbai, where Rajasthan Royals faced Mumbai Indians in the parallel fixture. Only once Delhi’s innings was complete did the players learn that Royals had won – and KKR were out even before chasing 205. The news barely altered Rahane’s tone; he had been preparing for grim scenarios since week two.
Ambati Rayudu, on commentary duty, cut straight to it: “Don’t see Rahane as KKR captain next season.” Head coach Mark Boucher, asked later, was more guarded but did not rule out change. Rahane, politely, kept the discussion on those who might shape the franchise’s future, not his own.
“For these two guys, this is just the beginning,” he said, pointing to fast bowler Kartik Tyagi and left-arm spinner-all-rounder Anukul Roy. Tyagi’s 18 wickets put him third among Indian bowlers in the league stage, usually the hardest category in which to rise. Roy, trusted with a full season at last, claimed nine wickets, bowled most of the tough overs, and twice finished a chase unbeaten.
“When we sat down [at the start of the season], I thought, this is a great time for Anukul to come in and play each and every game,” Rahane explained. “He had a fantastic Syed Mushtaq Ali season. I believe that whoever has a good season in the domestic league, you carry that confidence forward. Anukul Roy just did that.
“Talking about Kartik Tyagi, he was clear. We played practice games – two, three practice matches – [and] practice sessions as well. He was really clear about his thought process. You will go for runs as a bowler but as long as you’re clear what you want to do for your team, that’s what matters.”
Tyagi’s pace and willingness to sling the yorker at the death impressed senior pros around the league. Roy’s trajectory is different – he relies on drift, subtle changes of pace, and a calm head that hides his inexperience. Neither is yet 26. Boucher called the pair “the major boxes ticked in a season of unticked ones”.
The broader numbers are less flattering. KKR averaged only 24.3 per wicket with the bat – ninth in the competition – and their power-play economy crept above nine an over after Mustafizur’s departure. Overseas signings seldom fired in unison; Rahmanullah Gurbaz started brightly but faded, while Jason Holder’s rib problem never fully healed. Even Andre Russell, nursing a hamstring, bowled just 21 overs all season.
“Injuries are part of cricket, we know that,” Rahane said. “But losing three players you bought for specific roles does hurt any balance.” He recalled his first media appearance of the campaign, when he labelled 2026 “a season of opportunities”. Now, with elimination confirmed, the phrase sounds like spin. Yet Rahane insists it was genuine: the staff had already accepted the campaign would need improvisation.
Asked whether he considered stepping aside mid-season – as Dinesh Karthik, Ricky Ponting and Gautam Gambhir once did – Rahane bristled a touch: “As cricketers, we are what we are because of our fans. They appreciate when we do well and criticise when we don’t. This is part of the game and all cricketers understand this. For me, I have played my whole cricket with the right attitude.” He did not say the thought never crossed his mind, merely that he felt responsibility to see things through.
What next? The franchise hierarchy meets in June. Retention lists are due shortly after and rumours are already swirling. Rayudu’s prediction about the captaincy will keep headlines ticking over, though Boucher hinted any decision would be “made with context”. The South African knows there are only so many leaders of Rahane’s calm temperament on the circuit, even if the results column says otherwise.
For now, the skipper prefers to talk bowling lengths and field placements rather than futures. “You build around small wins,” he concluded, eyes drifting towards Tyagi and Roy. Maybe that is how KKR start again: identify the bits that worked, let the hurt linger just enough, and hope a clearer injury report arrives in 2027. It is not glamorous, but, as Rahane might say, character rarely is.
