Ajinkya Rahane makes shocking statement on being ‘congratulated’ by a reporter on KKR’s IPL 2026 horror show

Ajinkya Rahane is under the furnace as the Kolkata Knight Riders have recorded 5 defeats from 6 matches in IPL 2026. They are the last team in the points table with only 1 point, which came from the match against the Punjab Kings, which was washed out at the Eden Gardens due to rain. As of now, after playing six matches, KKR is winless.

Last night, KKR suffered their fifth defeat, despite a brilliant batting display by Cameron Green. Gujarat Titans, at their home ground, Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, claimed the match with ease because of a Shubman Gill masterclass. It was another difficult post-match press conference for Ajinkya Rahane as the season is turning more challenging for him.

KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane thanked the reporter in response

The mounting pressure on Rahane's shoulder was exposed when he told a reporter, "Thank you. Someone really appreciated my hard work."

In the press conference, a reporter said to the KKR captain, "Congratulations first for your hard work." In reply, Rahane said that.

GT gifted Kolkata Knight Riders their fifth defeat in IPL 2026

Against the Gujarat Titans, KKR's batting was decent despite sustaining multiple early blows. Inside the power play, they lost three batters for only 32 runs. From there, they managed to score 180 in the 20-over limit, thanks to Cameron Green's counterattack. The Aussie all-rounder got 79 runs from 55 balls, powered by seven 4s and five 6s.

Captain Shubman Gill's steady and confident 86 off 50 helped the Gujarat Titans to claim the target runs and registered the win over the Kolkata Knight Riders. GT won the match by 5 wickets and 2 balls to spare. Varun Chakravarthy got a brace and one wicket each for Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, and Ramandeep Singh.

In the press conference, following the 'thank you' reply, Ajinkya Rahane stated that the players will have to embrace themselves as the road ahead is more challenging. Despite the poor run, he urged all the team members to keep their heads up so they can keep trying for a win.

Rahane asked the team to embrace the upcoming days

"You've got to embrace those days, tough days as well. As a sportsman, keep your head up, keep trying your best every day. So, for us, it's all about just going out there, being positive, playing with freedom," the KKR captain said.

"Embrace these tough days as a team, as an individual. And every day is a new day, trying to get better, going out there. What we can do as a team is play with freedom, play to our potential, and try to back each other, enjoy each other's success", he added.

With 5 defeats in 6 matches and a negative net run rate, the team still has the chance to qualify for the play-offs. To keep the hope alive, KKR will have to win at least 7 matches out of 8 which is seemingly extremely difficult for them conceding the recent form. But, as there is a way, there should be a will too.

"The guys who are bowling in the power play are inexperienced. That's the truth. That's the truth. But they are still giving their best. They are trying their best to pick the wicket, which is not happening. But as I said, Anukul Roy, Karthik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora, they are really trying their best", Rahane said, backing the boys.

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