{"id":171993,"date":"2026-05-25T00:54:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T06:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=171993"},"modified":"2026-05-25T00:54:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T06:24:05","slug":"ipl-2026-thoughts-of-stepping-down-never-came-to-me-says-kkr-captain-rahane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=171993","title":{"rendered":"IPL 2026: \u2018Thoughts of stepping down never came to me,\u2019 says KKR captain Rahane"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane said thoughts of stepping down never crossed his mind despite the side\u2019s disastrous start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, adding that it is important to show character when the team is struggling.<\/p>\n

The former champion endured a miserable start to its IPL campaign, losing five of its opening six matches and sinking to the bottom of the points table.<\/p>\n

However, it staged a remarkable turnaround by winning six of its final eight games, briefly reviving hopes of a playoff qualification before eventually falling short.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, I\u2019ve played cricket all my life with a good attitude. Character has always been very important for me,\u201d Rahane said at the post-match press conference after the team\u2019s last game of the season.<\/p>\n

KKR lost by 40 runs against Delhi Capitals on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m never one to back down. When the team is down, when the team is struggling, it\u2019s very important to show your character at that time. I am never one that steps down. When the team is struggling, it is important to show your character.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, there\u2019s pressure. It\u2019s very natural, but the pressure is on those who are privileged. Not everyone can handle the pressure. For me, it was important to stay strong and not panic. It\u2019s very easy, when you lose five to six matches, your focus shifts to the past and the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rahane himself endured an underwhelming campaign with the bat. The veteran opener scored 335 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 135. His strike rate outside the PowerPlay was also among the lowest in the competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important that you stay in that moment. Things can turn around any time. We\u2019ve seen in a lot of matches and series how things change. It\u2019s very important to maintain that attitude and character. I\u2019m never one to back down. Those thoughts (of stepping down) never came to me,\u201d added Rahane.<\/p>\n

Wanted to give time to Indian bowlers<\/h4>\n

KKR\u2019s campaign was disrupted even before it began, with several key players, including pacers Harshit Rana and Akash Deep, suffering injuries. The franchise was also forced to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman in the wake of diplomatic tensions between the two countries, leaving its bowling attack severely depleted.<\/p>\n

Rahane said the setbacks prompted him to back domestic Indian talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe lost a few players during the season, and it\u2019s challenging all the time, but I was not looking at that. I was confident about and wanted to give time to the Indian bowlers. I was confident that if we backed them, if we give them that time, they will do really well under pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The injuries ultimately opened the door for spin all-rounder Anukul Roy and pacer Kartik Tyagi, both of whom seized their opportunities impressively.<\/p>\n

Tyagi emerged as one of KKR\u2019s standout performers with 18 wickets, the third-highest tally among Indian bowlers in the league stage. Meanwhile, Anukul picked up nine wickets in 12 innings and also remained unbeaten in two successful run chases.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen 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,\u201d Rahane said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had a fantastic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 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\u2014two or three practice matches. He was really clear about his thought process. You will go for runs as a bowler, but as long as you\u2019re clear what you want to do for your team, that\u2019s what matters.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor these two guys, this is just the beginning. I\u2019m sure they have the potential to do really well in the future and go and play at the highest level as well,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Published on May 25, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane said thoughts of stepping down never crossed his mind despite the side\u2019s disastrous start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, adding that it is important to show character when the team is struggling. The former champion endured a miserable start to its IPL campaign, losing five of its … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":171994,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-171993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779690245_image2014.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":171737,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=171737","url_meta":{"origin":171993,"position":0},"title":"LIVE Cricket Score, IPL 2026 KKR vs DC Match Live: Allen-Rahane start for Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens – The Indian Express","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"May 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"LIVE Cricket Score, IPL 2026 KKR vs DC Match Live: Allen-Rahane start for Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens\u00a0\u00a0The Indian ExpressKKR vs DC, 70th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - Commentary\u00a0\u00a0CricbuzzKKR vs DC live score, IPL 2026 - Rahul falls for 30-ball 60\u00a0\u00a0ESPNcricinfoKnights duck distractions as KKR\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/J6_coFbogxhRI9iM864NL_liGXvsQp2AupsKei7z0cNNfDvGUmWUy20nuUhkREQyrpY4bEeIBucs0-w300-rw.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":171758,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=171758","url_meta":{"origin":171993,"position":1},"title":"KKR vs DC LIVE Score IPL 2026: Lungi Ngidi returns to spark key partnership breaker, removes Manish Pandey | Cricket – Hindustan Times","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"May 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"KKR vs DC LIVE Score IPL 2026: Lungi Ngidi returns to spark key partnership breaker, removes Manish Pandey | Cricket\u00a0\u00a0Hindustan TimesKKR vs DC live score, IPL 2026 - Finn Allen quick off the blocks in 204 chase\u00a0\u00a0ESPNcricinfoKnights duck distractions as KKR await Rajasthan Royals result before clash\u00a0\u00a0Telegraph IndiaIPL 2026 |\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/J6_coFbogxhRI9iM864NL_liGXvsQp2AupsKei7z0cNNfDvGUmWUy20nuUhkREQyrpY4bEeIBucs0-w300-rw.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":172102,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=172102","url_meta":{"origin":171993,"position":2},"title":"IPL 2026: Rahane reveals why Varun Chakaravarthy continued playing for KKR despite fractured toe","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"May 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane said the decision to continue playing mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy despite a fractured left toe was taken only after clearance from the medical staff. 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