‘If You Don’t Know Your Captain..’ – Former CSK Player Criticises KKR for Last-Minute Captaincy Call on India Teammate Ajinkya Rahane

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made their road to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 playoffs very difficult after their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) was abandoned due to rain. With only five matches left, KKR now must win every remaining game to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Another defeat could almost certainly knock them out of the race. So far, KKR have played nine matches this season, winning just three, losing five, and one match being washed out. As defending champions, this is not the kind of season they would have hoped for. Their performances have been far below expectations, and they have even lost a few games from winning positions.

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Ajinkya Rahane’s Surprise Appointment as KKR Captain

Kolkata Knight Riders named Ajinkya Rahane as their captain much later than most other teams announced theirs. Rahane had enjoyed a great domestic season, leading Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and ending as the tournament’s top run scorer. But choosing a 36 year old, who had last played a T20I nine years ago, to lead an IPL-winning team was always going to be seen as a bold and risky move.

It also did not seem like Rahane was KKR’s first choice. He was bought at the accelerated auction stage for his base price of INR 1.50 crore after going unsold initially. When KKR released Shreyas Iyer, they became the first team to let go of an IPL winning captain. Later, when KKR spent INR 23.75 crore, which was the third highest amount in the mega auction, to bring back Venkatesh Iyer, many thought he would be made captain.

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Pujara Says Lack of Clear Leadership Affected Team’s Mindset

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Cheteshwar Pujara said that KKR lacked clear leadership at the start of the season. He mentioned that there was confusion over whether Ajinkya Rahane or Venkatesh Iyer would be the captain. Pujara explained that when players are unsure about who their leader is, it creates doubts within the team. This kind of uncertainty can disturb the dressing room atmosphere and negatively affect the team’s performance.

“They didn’t have clarity with their captainship. When the season started whether it was Ajinkya Rahane or Venkatesh Iyer. When you have uncertainty before the start of the season, and if you don’t have clarity about the important decisions that you need to make as a leader, then it also plays on the other players’ minds. If you don’t know who your leader is, there are a lot of questions going around in the dressing room,” Pujara told ESPNCricinfo.

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