'I have Always Been An Attacking Player' - Ajinkya Rahane Defends His Batting Approach Amid Growing Criticism

Amid growing criticism over his batting approach, IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane on Tuesday asserted that he has always been an "instinctive and attacking player", highlighting the hard work behind his evolution in the shortest format.

Rahane has scored 67 (off 40 balls), 8 (10 balls) and 8 not out (6 balls) in KKR's three outings against Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings respectively so far this IPL season.

After the SRH game, Rahane had brushed aside concerns over his strike rate, saying he has had “one of the best strike rates” since 2023 and that criticism often comes with “a certain agenda”.

Speaking on the sideline of the third season of Bengal Pro T20 League here, Rahane once again delved on his batting.

“I have always been an instinctive player, an attacking player. But the franchises I played for earlier, my role was different,” Rahane said.

“It’s always been about the team for me... how I can contribute. Whatever the management asked at that point, it was about fulfilling that role to the best of my ability.” The Mumbai batter, who is approaching 38 and has transformed his game with a more aggressive approach in recent seasons, spoke about the effort behind that shift.

“Three-four years back, I sat down and thought about how I can grow from here, how I can update my batting. I started working on a few different shots. It took me one to one-and-a-half years to develop a couple of them. Just kept practising, got hit on my chest and stomach multiple times.

“When you have that passion to improve and never feel satisfied, you automatically try to get better. The last three-four years have been really good for me in this format. I’m really enjoying my cricket. It’s always about contributing to the team, but from a personal point of view, I try to improve at least five percent every year.” Rahane was KKR’s leading run-scorer in IPL 2025, amassing 390 runs, including three fifties, at a strike rate of over 147.

He was retained as captain despite the team finishing eighth in their title defence last season.

This season, he has opened alongside Finn Allen, a move that has drawn criticism given KKR’s depth of power-hitters, including Tim Seifert and Rovman Powell, who are yet to feature, while Rinku Singh has been under-utilised at No 5.

“Captaining KKR has been really amazing. I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this franchise. The passion for cricket in Kolkata is incredible. Whenever you play at Eden Gardens, the fans are emotional, and I understand that — they love the sport and are deeply passionate about the team,” he said.

Rahane conceded that the fans have every reason to be disappointed with the team’s performances.

“Whenever I’ve played at Eden Gardens — even in domestic matches like Mumbai vs Bengal — the crowd has always been passionate. Playing here is always special. Whenever we step onto the field, it’s about doing well for the franchise.

“The journey so far has been really good. I’m still learning, still improving, and I want to keep doing well for the team.

“Winning the championship is always the goal. The dressing room atmosphere and culture have been fantastic,” he added.

Rahane also hailed team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan for his constant support.

“Shah Rukh Khan has been amazing... like a big brother, always supporting everyone, especially in tough times.

“We will give our best this season. Hopefully, we can lift the trophy -- for the owners, the franchise, and most importantly, the fans of Kolkata,” he signed off.