Will Ajinkya Rahane play tonight for KKR vs SRH in IPL 2026?
(Courtesy : BCCI/IPL)
Rinku Singh took over as KKR’s on-field captain in Ajinkya Rahane’s absence during their game against MI in IPL 2026.
Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were expected to start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on a high note with a triumph after they set up a 200+ run target at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, March 29.
However, the opening partnership between Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma proved critical to MI’s success as they chased the target of 221 in 19.1 overs. KKR‘s bowling line-up, which was missing Harshit Rana, Akash Deep and Matheesha Pathirana, lacked discipline, allowing MI batters to score big shots.
Nevertheless, KKR have another chance to return to form, and this time against the 2016 champions, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), at the Eden Gardens later tonight, Thursday, April 2.
Against MI, Ajinkya Rahane was KKR’s highest scorer, racking 67 runs off 40 deliveries before Angkrish Raghuvanshi further pushed the scoreline with a fifty.
However, during the second half of the match, the KKR skipper was forced to go back to dressing room due to an injury in his leg. His deputy, Rinku Singh, soon took over as the on-field captain.
Will Ajinkya Rahane play for KKR vs SRH tonight in IPL 2026?
Despite speculations, KKR’s captain Ajinkya Rahane is likely to play KKR vs SRH clash and feature in the opening pair alongside New Zealand’s Finn Allen. After the match against MI, he confirmed that his injury wasn’t serious as he was just struggling with cramps.
Rahane becomes crucial to the team for providing experience and stability in the innings. Rahane would also face Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Jaydev Unadkat, who has dismissed him four times in six innings, putting his experience to the test. Additionally, the 37-year-old’s batting performance against Unadkat has been quite underwhelming, as he has scored only 35 runs off 34 deliveries at a strike rate of 102.94.
Rahane would play his 200th IPL game against the SRH in match 6 of the ongoing season. The 37-year-old has scored 5099 runs in 199 matches across 18 seasons for six different franchises, solidifying his place as one of the greatest batters in IPL history.
When did Ajinkya Rahane join KKR?
Ajinkya Rahane joined the Kolkata Knight Riders for the first time in 2022. In 2023, he was purchased by CSK, where he spent two seasons. In 2025, he returned to KKR.
For which teams has Ajinkya Rahane played in the IPL?
Rahane has played for RR, CSK, KKR, MI, DC and RPS in the IPL.
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