Yet To Win A Single Game, Ajinkya Rahane "Congratulated" In Press Conference. Epic Reaction Follows

It has been a gloomy and dark period for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign, with the franchise yet to register a single win. Of the six games KKR have played so far, they have lost five, while one was a washed-out contest. The pressure on the KKR team, especially skipper Ajinkya Rahane, is immense. Yet, he was 'congratulated' by a reporter during the press conference following the game against the Gujarat Titans on Friday for the hard work he has done to turn things around. The unexpected appreciation triggered a memorable reaction from the Knight Riders captain.

The reporter said, "Congratulations first for your hard work," prompting an epic response from Rahane.

With a smile and a clear voice, the KKR skipper reacted: "Thank you so much, ma'am. Thank you. Someone has finally appreciated me for my hard work."

When asked about the recent run of results and what the team has taken from these matches, Rahane stated that learning from mistakes has been a priority. Whether winning or losing, the team is trying to learn, adapt, and react in subsequent matches.

"Every day is a learning experience, ma'am. Whether we win or lose, I feel every day when we go onto the field, be it a game or a practice session, it's all about learning. From this game and the last five, the lesson is about winning key moments as a team, whether as a batting or bowling unit. The T20 format is all about winning those crucial moments. One good over here or there can change the game."

KKR Bowling Lineup "Inexperienced": Rahane

Rahane pinned part of the blame for the winless start to the campaign on the team's inexperienced pace attack. He lauded players like Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, and Anukul Roy for their efforts but admitted that the lack of wickets in the powerplay has hurt the team's cause.

"It was tough. As I said, it is never easy to bowl in the powerplay. The guys bowling in the powerplay are inexperienced. That is the honest truth. But they are still giving their best. They are trying their hardest to pick up wickets, even if it isn't happening yet. Anukul Roy, Kartik Tyagi, and Vaibhav Arora are really putting in the effort. It also wasn't easy for the spinners to bowl in the powerplay," Rahane said.

Up against the established Gujarat Titans duo of Shubman Gill and B. Sai Sudharsan, Rahane admitted that his opening bowlers' lack of experience was an issue. KKR were also unable to utilise Cameron Green effectively, as the Rs 25.20 crore signing was struggling with cramps.

"Sai and Shubman Gill are very good players of spin. Narine bowled a very good over, but for Anukul, it was really tough. We didn't have any other options for the powerplay. Cameron Green was struggling with massive cramps. We tried everything during those first six overs.

"They batted really well, but I'm happy with the way we pulled back the game after the seventh or eighth over. At one point, I thought they would chase down the target easily by the 16th or 17th over. I'm really proud of how the bowling unit fought back. It's never easy. When you are losing matches, it's very easy to feel down and focus on the negatives," he said.

Despite remaining winless so far, Rahane has not given up hope of reaching the IPL 2026 playoffs. He is taking inspiration from the Mumbai Indians' 2014 campaign, where they qualified for the next round despite a disastrous start.

"I'm going to take a leaf out of the MI book. There is always hope, and you always want to stay positive rather than dwelling on the negative. I believe in being positive every single time. As a unit, we just have to stay in the moment rather than thinking too far ahead," he asserted.

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Topics mentioned in this article

Kolkata Knight Riders Gujarat Titans Ajinkya Rahane IPL 2026 Cricket