3 min readMay 25, 2026 07:30 AM IST
Kolkata Knight Riders’ campaign that started on a dismal note where they lost 5 of their first 6 matches, got a flicker of hope after their stellar run of consecutive victories but the early defeats proved to be the difference as the missed out of the play-offs for the second year running.
Skipper Ajinkya Rahane was asked when the pressure was building on the team and on himself after the string of defeats, if he had considered stepping down as captain or taking himself off the playing XIs in select matches. The 37-year-old replied that he has never backed away from any challenges or problems and preferred to stay in the present so those thoughts of leaving captaincy did not cross his mind.
“We as cricketers are where we are because of the fans. They will appreciate when we do well and also criticize us when we do badly. This is a part of the game. Every cricketer understands this. Talking about myself, I have always played cricket with a positive attitude. Character is very important for me. I am not the down to back down. When the team struggles, that is where you show your character. Pressure will come, it’s very natural. Pressure is always on those who are privileged. Not everyone can handle pressure. The most important thing for me was that I should remain strong and not panic,” Rahane said after their loss against Delhi Capitals on Sunday
“It’s very easy that after losing 5-6 matches, your mind wanders to the past or the future. It’s important for you to stay in the moment. Things can turn around any time. We have seen that time and again in matches and many other series where things change in an instant. You have to keep that attitude and character. Like I said, I have never been the one to back down from anything so these thoughts have never come to my mind. I told everyone in the team that it’ll take one game to change things around. We just have to believe. We just have to keep doing what we are doing. Yeah, we had to make some tweaks but that’s fine. We accepted that we did not play to our potential and the criticism. When you do not accept things, then problems pile up,” he added.
Kolkata had a slim chance of going to the play-offs if they could defeat Delhi Capitals decisively and overhaul Punjab Kings’ net run rate in case Rajasthan Royals lost to Mumbai Indians in the afternoon game. But those hopes were shattered early as Rajasthan defeated Mumbai and made their way into the play-offs as the 4th team, eliminating both Kolkata and Punjab.
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