IPL 2026: India's WC-winner urges KKR to drop Ajinkya Rahane, recommends Sunil Narine as new captain

Former India cricketer, Kris Srikkanth has suggested Kolkata Knight Riders to look beyond Ajinkya Rahane as skipper amid their losing streak in IPL 2026. The Kolkata-based franchise is struggling at the bottom of the table with only one point in hand.

Kris Srikkanth suggests new captain for KKR

On his official YouTube Channel, Kris Srikkanth said that Ajinkya Rahane should be given one or two more chances to prove himself, and if things don't improve, Sunil Narine should be made captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in the second-half of the tournament.

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Kris Srikkanth also called KKR appointing Rahane as skipper a "wrong move", questioning whether the team has the guts to reverse it and make Sunil Narine the new captain.

"I'll give Ajinkya Rahane one or two chances more. If nothing changes, I'll drop him also and make Sunil Narine the captain midway through the season. Rahane should come into bat only if necessary. Else let him only captain the side. He shouldn't bat in the middle. 20. Making him the captain was the wrong move in the first place. But do they have the courage to make a strong move of dropping him now?"

Srikkanth further suggested that KKR should drop Finn Allen and Cameron Green, saying that Rachin Ravindra should be included in the line-up.

"They should drop Finn Allen and Cameron Green. Bring in Rachin Ravindra and Pathirana. They can open with Rachin Ravindra and Rahane. That'll balance the team. But their support staff itself looks better than the actual players they have," he added.

Ajinkya Rahane's IPL 2026 season with the bat

In five games, Ajinkya Rahane has managed to score 152 runs at an average of 38.00 with a great strike rate of 149.01. He kicked off the season with an impactful knock of 67 runs off 40 deliveries against Mumbai Indians in their season opener.

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Lately, it has been observed that Ajinkya Rahane's strike rate takes a big hit after the end of powerplay. KKR's batting department has failed to perform as per the expectations in the ongoing season.

Kolkata Knight Riders winless streak in IPL 2026

The Ajinkya Rahane-led side have endured a disastrous start to their IPL 2026 campaign, failing to register a single win after their first five games. The team has faced inconsistent batting and poor tactical decisions. The Kolkata-based franchise have only one point in hand due to a washed-out game against Punjab Kings.

KKR entered the season with high expectations after a big spendings in the auction but has faced troubles to find a balanced Playing XI under coach Abhishek Nayar.